


Some Weeks Are Better Than Others

by PerpetualSpinster



Category: Black Panther (2018), Marvel
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-07
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-05-19 03:49:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 42,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14866044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerpetualSpinster/pseuds/PerpetualSpinster
Summary: You and M’Baku have to be apart for a business trip you are taking.  Leaving him sucks for you both, but career is important and he supports.  But the trip is a lot more than a test of your value to your job, but to your relationship as well.





	1. (So That’s All You, Huh?)

Beep Beep Beep.

Your alarm has a jarring sound that jerks you from your sweet slumber. Blurry eyed, you reach forward push your home button to silence it. Arm hanging over the side of the bed, you lay with your eyes closed just for a moment but you know that is too much temptation that could cost you getting to work on time. The oil diffuser purrs in the background as it pumps lemongrass and peppermint in the air, your favorite combo. You feel his arm come around, hand resting on your belly to pull you back against him. M’Baku growls lazily playing sleep.

“Mm-mm. You need to turn me loose, now. I have laid long enough.” You say, only half convincingly.

M’Baku smacks his lips exaggeratedly, “You haven’t taken a sick day from that place all year, you can call it today if you wanted.”

Holding his hand on your tummy, you argue, “First of all, I am still trying to make a good impression. Second of all, I have to catch a flight today. Did you forget this was my business trip week?”

He groans out loud, “Are you joking? When did you tell me about this?”

You turn, laying on your back, counting on your fingers, “I told you when I was first offered the opportunity a month ago, I told you every week before now, and last night.”

M’Baku props himself up on his arm looking down at you, “That’s not fair, I don’t remember any talk last night, are you sure?”

You sigh, “Yes, I am. Between the netflix, the wine, I told you. Then you started getting sad, quoting Titanic and kissing my neck, and after that if you forgot, well then I am insulted.”

He gives you that awesome chortle of his, “No, my darling, I remember that quite well. I was just hoping I’d wake up and the week would be over already. I don’t know what I’d do with myself.” His eyes twinkle a little as he says this, you feel his sadness heavily as you hold his face.

“I feel the same way and then some. But this will help get me a good track record within the company, leading up to a promotion, raise, all of that. I don’t want to be under someone’s thumb forever. Once I can lead my own way without oversight, I’ll be so good. It starts with this.”

He takes your hand and kisses the palm of it, groaning against it his bass tickles you, “I always admired your work ethic. Your strength is my motivation to go on, along with your beauty.” He looks down your body, snaking his hand from your knee, up your thigh, then gently caressing your tummy, “What time do you leave?”

You take a deep breath, controlling the pulse of your center. Turning towards him, you pick the sleep out of his eyes. “My flight is at 11am. I have about 5 hours to get ready, double check my packing, and make my way…” your voice says huskily as it trails off as your eyes travel with your hands over his sturdy shoulders, sheen with his natural oils.

M’Baku tucks his lips, mounting over you on cue with surprisingly acrobatic fashion, “I can work with that, my doll. If your schedule permits?”

You snatch your bonnet off, heat getting too overwhelming, “Mm, you ain’t said nothing but a word, M’Bop.”

You always get yourself in a position of not having packed enough in advanced. Everyday , you tried to set aside a couple outfits, narrow down your shoe choices, put your travel toiletries in the bag and STILL you forget things, and change your mind on others. You sniff the air, smells like breakfast is about done and just in time as you were as well. You put your tote over your shoulder, roll your bag out and drag it down the steps, one clunk at a time. You hear thudding footsteps coming towards you, as he rounds the corner up the stairs.

“(Y/N), why are you putting more stress on yourself? Why didn’t you call your man, huh?” M’Baku kisses your cheek as he picks up the bag like it’s a disobedient child, over his shoulder and effortlessly downstairs.

You smile to yourself, thanking him. “I won’t be able to call on you to help me once I’m there, so I might as well get used to it.”

M’Baku at the stove, he plates the veggie omelettes, “You will not get used to that. This is a temporary business thing, so don’t get comfortable with this single independence. You still have a man at home waiting for you, understand?” He coos, setting the plates down on the table spread of toast, butter and jam, fresh fruit, orange juice for him, apple for you. He pulls the seat out for you, pecking your neck gently as you sit before making his way to his side to sit. A mix of excitement and sadness overcomes you as you think about how compassionate your partner is. This isn’t the first meal he has cooked for you by far, but he had time to clock your box AND cook before your trip? He is too good, beyond words.

You pick up your fork, taking a couple bites, “Mm, I know I won’t get this good of food on the road. What you gonna do while I’m gone?”

He takes a deep breath as he chews as big as his jaw is able without actually opening his mouth. “I might have some of the guys over sometime. Redecorate maybe. Bring back my bear rug for old times sake.”

You clink your fork down, folding your hands in front of your face, “I told you to toss that thing out, M’Baku. And the other Jabari better not be up in here to mess up my couch, touch my food, and you are cleaning the guest bathroom when all is said and done. Go over their house with all that!” You say with an annoyed wave of your hand.

“My, my, my love. Has travel plans got you on edge?” He reaches his hand over, you lay yours in it; warm and rough, but gentle in pressure as he rubs the back of yours. “My people know how to respect my home. You saw them in their own habitat, of course they are foolish then. But don’t worry about our abode, it will remain in tact. Unlike my heart, that is aching at the thought of you leaving. No amount of company could fill that void, I just hoped it would serve as an adequate distraction.”

Your face falls with his in that moment. Getting up, you walk over to him and sit onto his tempurpedic thighs. Caressing his beard, you study his face. His big brown eyes that pull you in like Narcissus, he looks at you heavy lidded. “I have half a mind to keep accepting these trips if it gives me this much favor from my man.” you say in jest.

He squeezes your sides, causing you to fold over in ticklish agony, “You know what happens when you provoke a Jabari, huh? I won’t hold back, and I’ll be forced to put down my staff to remind you what you need to come back home for.”

Between giggles you say, “Your staff, huh? Is that what we’re calling it now, M’Bop? It’s just as much mine as it is yours now, I won’t be intimidated.” He gives a belly laugh as he rests against your bosom, holding your bottom and thighs while you clutch his head under your chin.

“Your heartbeat is my favorite lullaby.” He moans into your chest.

M’Baku is a towering man in height and stature, but he is a kitten when it comes to you.

You get a notification bell on your phone, indicating your ride is waiting. M’Baku lets out a whine that sounds like chewbacca.

“It’s time baby, let me up,” You give him a pat on his back as he slowly unravels from around you. You head out the door as he carries your bag, loading it into the backseat.

“You seem heavily packed for a few days by the way.” He looks at your curiously, tucking his hands in his pockets.

“I need options M’Bop. Plus that’s just plenty more laundry for you to do for me when I’m back. I know you looove it.” you say teasingly, getting in his face.

“You think you have me domesticated, that’s adorable. Let me find out you’re spreading these lies in the streets, you won’t handle my fury.” He warns, wagging a finger at you.

You playfully whack it away, reaching around his neck. He grabs around your waist, holding you tightly against him. You looked from his bright, round eyes to his smooth, beckoning lips. Controlled by an invisible force, you both lean towards each other until your mouths are intertwined. Soon as M’baku begins to open his mouth against yours, his hands gravitate toward your ass, slowly squeezing…

HONK HONK

The driver has gotten impatient with waiting or sick of the PDA. You don’t blame them either way. You still have to snap M’Baku out of it as he continues to lean with his lips puckered, like a Looney tunes cartoon. Opening the door for you, you step inside as he leans on the door over you.

“Call when you’ve landed and settled. Work hard though; don’t let me be a distraction.”

“I will, love. Leaving me with that kiss, all I’ll be thinking about is you.”

M’Baku smiles broadly, “and so it should be. No goodbyes, just know I will see you soon.”

“See you soon. Love you, M’Bop.”

“All my love, (Y/N).”

The driver pulls off as you look back at M’Baku, waving, slowly getting tinier and out of sight. You turn away and start to look for your headphones to listen to a podcast, anything to keep the tears from spilling out of your eyes. It’s only a week, stop acting silly, you gas yourself.

“Woooowee! So that’s all you, huh?”

You look at the rearview mirror at the driver. She had to be bout 50 sum, has large gold hoops with words in the middle that you can’t make out, a red trucker hat that says “America was never great”, smacking on some gum.

You say a little shyly, “Yeah, that’s all me alright.”

“Oooh, GIRL! I would burn the midnight oil for him in the middle of the afternoon, I tell you! What’s his name? I’m sorry if I’m being nosy.”

She sure the hell was, “No biggie. M’Baku is his name.”

“Aw nah, girl. You got you a African?? I’m surprised he ain’t wheel you out in a chair. Honey no wonder he looking better than fresh baked manna from heaven. You been with him a while?”

She worst than your aunties when they first met him, “Yeah a little over three years.”

“Good, hold tight to that. You know how many ladies I pick up and they man is watching them while they load up? And they had waaaay more stuff than you got there. Gentlemen are hard to find, and in an exotic negro, THAT fine?? Biiiitch, excuse my language, i don’t mean you, but biiiiitch, I wouldn’t be driving right now if that was at my house.”

You laugh at her antics, co-signing with the usual sister-to-sister phrases. It was a good distraction to draw you out of your funk for the week ahead – at least for now.

Finally, you arrive to the airport, checking your bag, and popping a seat that was miraculous to find in the crowded waiting area. Headphones in to drown out the tired toddlers that are weighing down their parent’s patience, you look through your social feeds. A notification pops up, it’s him.

You open up the message, it’s a picture of the kitchen and underneath it says, ‘I don’t appreciate the amount of dishes you left me to clean up after you :P’

You cover your face, laughing to yourself. This guy, you think. Texting back, you tell him, ‘Thank you, love. It was delicious. I promise I’ll make it up to you later ;) ’

Then you get the call that it is time to board. Your phone goes off again and it says, ‘Well I hope I will get a preview later…….’

You stop there, biting your lip. You guys have never done anything long distance before, maybe a little electronic play could happen between you all. You decide to leave him on read; sure you were busy boarding, but also, you want him to be real ready to hear from you again later.

The flight was only a couple hours, but it was dreadful. The babies would not quit crying, the flight attendant skipped you for a drink order, and the person next to you could NOT stop getting up for the bathroom to save their life. When the plane began descending, it was an answer to your prayers.

Heading to baggage claim, you check your phone, more out of habit than anything, nothing new, but a change in the song playing in your earbuds. You wanted to wait until you were in your hotel room before you texted him that you made it. Standing by the conveyor belt, you watch all the bags loop around; more added, some taken, until the bags become more scarce and the crowd around you is almost dispersed completely.

Suddenly you feel a sense of dread, you walk, not seeing any more bags being added through the drop-down. This can’t be it, you think. You were standing there the whole time, how could you miss it?

There are some bags in the middle of the floor, but none of them are yours. You look around for the customer service area, when all of a sudden, you see it. Some woman has it, walking away with her family that has one of them screaming babies. Your heartbeat is hella elevated, but you try to keep a cool script in your head as you jog over to her.

“Ma’am…..Ma’am!” you yell.

The woman has her phone to her ear, yelling at her child to stop running and stay with her until her father comes. You tap her on her shoulder, making the woman spin with a speed you almost missed if you blinked.

“The hell you want?!” She says with all due disrespect.

“Sorry, but my b-”

“Nah, mom I ain’t talking to you. This little girl tryna say somthin to me.”

Little girl? You think to yourself, but letting it slide as to not waste time, you continue, “You have my b-”

“Mama, I know, but she don’t look like a sex pimp or nothin. I wouldn’t get caught up in that I ain’t dumb, ‘specially with my baby with me.” She looks down and around her, “KAYLA!”

Then you feel the sensation of little hands on the backs of your knees. You look behind to see her child giggling at her mom trying to hide.

You step over to reveal her. “Are you trying to take my baby?! Mama, imma call you back, this girl finna get it.”

As she hangs up you take the open opportunity, “Sis, I don’t want your daughter! That bag you have is mine!”

“I’m giving you 2 seconds to step away from my girl. Kayla get over here NOW!” The girl runs back in her mother’s direction, not necessarily to her.

You look up taking a deep breath, but the amount of calm left in you is draining fast, “She came over to me! I didn’t even mess with her! But ma’am, the bag! That’s not yours!”

She takes a step toward you, leaning with her hands in prayer position, “And now you tryna steal MY shit! You got fucking nerve, thinking you cute up here, walking up on me and my child, the fuck–”

Suddenly a male voice enters the mix. “What’s going on here, Shay?”

You assume this is her man lookin like a Tyler Perry extra but unfortunately his wack braids aren’t a wig. But at this point you don’t give a fuck cuz she still has your damn bag.

“Man, she got my bag, but she keeps getting stuck on other shit that we ain’t even able to rectify this!”

“Don’t talk to him like you brazy, bitch!” She shrieks.

This sent you over. Clapping, “WHO YOU CALLIN CRAZY, you need to control your light skinned ass attitude and your bad ass baby and run me my bag back!”

“Ok, but I got my man here with me if you wanna try it. Where the fuck yours, ugly ass–”

“Aye aye AYE! Aight now! Airport fights ain’t what’s hot in here. Shay, come on, we don’t need another strike. You almost made the no-fly. And that ain’t your damn bag.”

She looked down at it like she snapped out a trance. She looked at you with anger then at him, “Then where the hell my damn bag, Carl! You got the damn things!”

“There it is Mommy!” Kayla smarter than her own damn mother.

Shay looks up at you as she walks past, barely missing brushing you, which is all you would’ve needed to steal on her, but Jesus makes a way.

Kayla has ran back to Carl, who picks her up, “Sorry…” he starts to say before Shay bellows, “COME GET THIS BAG CARL!”

He purses his mouth to trot over to Shay. A wave of relief covers you as the stress from the scene dissipates. You grab the handle of your bag and make way to the exit, hailing your cab, and praying this isn’t an omen for the entirety of your trip.

Pulling up to the hotel, you unload, thankful for a non-communicative cabbie this time. Making your way up the steps to the hotel, you are greeted.

“Welcome! Are you checking in today?” The perky blonde behind the counter quipped.

“I have a room for the leader’s conference this week, my name is (Y/N).”

She looks at the computer screen, tapping away at the keys. “Hmm, I don’t see it…”

You look at her blankly. No way you have come all this way, with the day you had, and not have a room.

She continues to tap, asking you to spell your name. As you do, she finds it, “Ah! Thanks, sorry about that. Ethnic names always give me a rough time.” She laughs way too hard at that, and you don’t offer her anything in response.

“Do you have my key?” You say deadpan.

The blonde, oblivious to your discontent, hands it to you. “Yes, sweetie, here you go! And enjoy your stay!” She says it with a neck roll on the last set of words that gave you complete racial indigestion. You roll your eyes and walk on up, thinking about how far you have made it, and how bad you just want a bath.

Getting in your room, you lay the bag down and swan dive onto the bed. Your body pulsates with pain in your back, feet and head: the unholy trinity. In the peace and tranquility of your room, you were ready to fall asleep there, but you felt disgusting so you drug yourself off the bed to the bathroom to start the shower up.

Disrobing, you step into the shower, feeling the cool water cover your body. Summer has not been a kind season so far with the humidity wreaking havoc on you and your hair follicles, so the streams hitting your body made for a great escape from the world. It sent a shiver down you, making you arch with pleasure into the sensation. Each droplet massages the aches in your back, making your scalp tingle involuntarily. Turning around you angle the head, letting the streams beat against your lower region, almost bidet style.

_A tongue runs down your back, as if your soaked copper skin were melted chocolate, stopping right before the crack of your ass. Two broad hands find either side of your hips, thumbs massaging the small of your back. He spreads your cheeks apart, smacking one side. The wetness of your backside from the shower gives a stereo effect in the shower, causing the sound to reverberate. You gasp, biting down on your lips to keep peaceful. A growling voice commands your attention. “Now, you better hold still, or you won’t get clean properly…” he demands of you, his loyal subject. Ok, you say barely above a whisper. “What was that? Speak up, girl! Closed lips can never be fed…” He said in a villainous tone, teasing you with possibility. I said that’s fi–, you start but nothing but unintelligible gurgles come from you as his tongue find your sweet spot. Even his nose tickles you as he buries face beautiful face deep between your crevice, gripping your sides to keep you from arching away like a frightened cat. Fuck! I’m going to cum all over you if you don’t stop, shit! He stands up at the warning, “Well doll, that’s the plan, right? But just so you know, we aren’t done, until I say,” he growls as he massages your breasts from behind, rubbing his length against your folds causes a jolt through your body with every brush against your clitoris. You are a bundle of electric passion on the verge of combustion, but not one to turn down a challenge. Well bring your fat ass on then… you say through gritted teeth. He guffaws right before inching in…_

You hands gripped the walls as the thought fell into your mind. You hadn’t texted M’Baku yet and it was a little later than you anticipated getting back. That fat ass would make for a great comfort to you but a FaceTime will have to do. You step out, toweling down and wrapping a robe around you. You sit on the bed, grabbing your phone up, and going to his name. It rings, and rings, which is odd because you thought he would be nipping at the bit to get in touch with you by now. You get a text then, ‘Hang on. I’ll call you right back’


	2. (Mind your Business)

You lay back on your pillow in annoyance, wondering what the hell he is doing. With the day you had, you still found time to call him, but here he is delaying things when you could be asleep.

Your phone rings and you pick it up, revealing his face smiling widely, sitting on the edge of you guys’ bed,

“Hello, my lady love! How are you? You look well, did you just shower?” He can’t hide his excitement which makes you feel rejuvenated with energy.

“I did just get out of the shower. I feel best now than I did all day.” You say letting out the deepest breath you’ve taken all day.

He furrows his brow, frowning, “I’m sorry (Y/N). Was it anything serious? There’s no shame if you have to come home early, you shouldn’t break yourself for this.” He says with paternal concern.

You shake your head, “No it was just a long day dealing with people, but I made it somehow. I don’t want to talk about it right now though. I miss you…”

You hear him groan in angst, “I miss you too, my heart. This place is colder without you, even with the record high temperatures.”

The summer has been sweltering, and you’re both kind of pansies about it. You smile weakly, feeling a little emotional but not wanting to show. You all have never been this far apart before and nothing about the trip has made this an easier transition.

“You look adorable in your bonnet, baby. Is that a new one?” He inquires.

You chuckle Cardi B-like, tugging it down a little further, “Yes, I don’t use my home bonnets in public areas so this is my travel bonnet. Just a cheap little thing.”

“Hmm, well you make it look very chic, my God! The birds out here are shaking.” You both giggle at his silliness. M’Baku never fails to make you feel like you won the lottery.

You guys pause for a moment just looking at each other through the screen. “I got the dishes done earlier.” He says, raising his eyebrows with a sly expression on his face.

“Is that right? Well they weren’t going to do themselves so…” You say cooly.

“Oh Hanuman! Why are you being cruel to me.”

“I’m not being cruel, just saying you did something that needed to be done. Do you need kudos for that?” You say, picking a piece of lint off your robe.

“That is true. When I was doing them, I thought about how you can never keep your hands to yourself while I can’t defend myself.” He says leaning forward, biting his plump bottom lip. “You come up behind me, grabbing my waist….”

“Yeah, and I’d gyrate on that ass while you’re doing them, yup!” Putting on an extra hood accent. You swear you more gangsta than him.

His whole face smiles at your antics, “You say, ‘They better be spotless or I’ll have to teach you not to cross me, eh?’ And you do a terrible Wakandan voice, I die every time!” M’Baku laughs with his whole body: eyes closed tightly, head shooting back, teeth on full display and mouth wide enough to impress a dentist. 

“Whatever, I can take you any day. Have you screaming uncle in a minute, punk.”

M’Baku looks at you, leaning on the desk, rubbing his lower lip with his thumb, eyes glazed like his mind is somewhere else for a second.

“What’s up with you?” You ask.

He shrugs, “Oh nothing, if you haven’t thought of it by now, I might as well call it a night then.” 

You squint at him suspiciously, “What the hell are you talking bout?”

He screws his face up while hunching before continuing, “It’s just that I thought you were going to give me a prelude to your thankfulness for me handling your chores…”

“Is that so? My chores? My diet doesn’t require nearly as much dishware to prepare so I don’t get that. But at any rate, I believe that was reserved for when I get back home.”

“Yes, but I need something to hold my motivation.” He says, drawing out his thoughts slowly “It’s very challenging to go through the day without you here, I’ve almost forgotten what you look like-” He squints, dramatically peeking at your on the screen.

“Oh please!” You jeer at him, laughing. “Don’t be dramatic, M’Bop.”

“Ohhh, and you have the nerve to call me that from a distance when I can’t get my hands on you, you are a tyrant.” He says, practically purring.

“I do what I want, and what I want right now… is for you to tell me how bad you want your hands on me.”

M’Baku gives a full belly laugh. “Oh really? You’re challenging me to go first eh?”

“It’s a demand, get it right.” You say with HBIC attitude in tow.

He nods, speechless, as he starts to sit up. “I could show you now,” he looks down at his lap, then quickly back up to you. “But like I said, I have almost forgotten you. Now, your voice is softly kissing my ears, but your body, your body? Is still a blur…” He says covering his eyes with one hand, reaching out for the other.

Shaking your head with a cheesing grin, “Well we can’t have that. Ok, what do you miss about this?” 

“Your ear?” He questions as you tug at your lobe.

“Yes, I am showing you my body little by little so you can recall what you like about each piece.”

He shake his head smirking at your silliness. “Ok, my darling. Ah yes, my love’s ear. With it, she listens so intently to my stories regarding my day, my transgressions, and my achievements. Whilst holding you close, I whisper into it, intoxicated by the scent of your curls. Whenever I am close to it, I am closest to you”

You nod approvingly, “Mk, sir. Pretty good. What about…this.” Reaching your hand in front of your face, giving it the you-can’t-see-me shake.

Leaning back and rubbing his beard he says, “I have never know such strength from such small things. When my hand envelopes yours, I feel safer and more at ease despite the comparison of them. The purest feeling of being blessed overwhelms me when I hold it to my lips. And when you take the time to graze it along my face, my body, I am powerless and embraced with surrender.”

You look away from the screen a second as heat begins to catch your cheeks. 

“Was that getting to be too much for you, darling?” He says grinning like the devil incarnate. “Oh hush, you know what the hell you tryna do!” Fanning yourself, you graze your fingers down your neck. “What about this?”

“Mmm, I think that’s your favorite actually, my love. The tenderness of your neck possesses me to drown my face into it like a lap dog.” He chuckles at the thought. “And your squeals of playful bliss in reaction is a treat to behold, and I wish to witness, over and over again. I’ve also left a many marks there, so it’s practically got my name on it.”

“Boy…stop!” You spout in fake protest because you knew it was true, tucking your mouth in frustrated embarrassment.

His sights are set straight on you as he rest his hands on his thighs, “I also miss those lips, the ones you are biting on now. Not only do they speak motivating orations to build me up, they know just where my weakest points are; using their power for my pleasure, bending me to my defeat.”

You feel your heartbeat starting to build, suddenly you are quite thirsty. You twist a little as an ache begins to build, “M’Baku…”

“Just like that, my love. Those same lips speak my name, in a way that makes my relatives back home sound ignorant in their pronunciation. It sounds most sincere coming from you.”

You cover your eyes as you feel sweet angst from the man you love. What you wouldn’t do to teleport to him and bring him in between you.

“Now what am I supposed to do with all that? Hm?” You angle your phone down as slowly untie the sash.

M’Baku laughs, lays one of his sizable hands on the crotch of his shorts, “Yes, I think that’s the most prose I ever got out before you’d pounce me to either shut me up or relieve your lust.”

You start at the top of your robe, revealing one of your breasts.

He lets out a low pitched, guttural moan, clutching at himself, “Is it cold, my love? Or just joyful of my presence?” M’Baku says.

“Mm, a little of both I think,” you say huskily as you squeeze your arms together, making a more dramatic cleavage, feeling around your rising peaks. 

“I miss the way you react to me, when I’m caressing them. The shake of your body when I am speaking in tongues in reverence of their ethereal beauty.”

Closing your eyes, you imagine just that. His encompassing mouth smiling as he hovers over you, keeping his gaze locked on you as he lowers his tongue across your areola, before he siphons your soul out of your chest. You hear him groan for a moment and look down to see him having made himself more comfortable, shorts around his ankles. His thighs a perfect spread creating an almost exaggerated thickness of his thighs as he sits on the edge of the bed, beginning to stroke in front of you.

“You are so beautiful, beyond any measure in this world,” He say breathlessly, gripping the top of his hair in distraction to keep from busting too fast.

“ohh, I miss your hands being on me. Trailing my back when you think I’m asleep to arouse me. The grip you put on my hips when you’re filling me from the back.” You reach down and pet yourself at the thought, angling your device towards your center. “You see how you’ve got me right now, baby?”

M’Baku leans forward, rubbing his beard with hunger as he licks his lips instinctively. “This is better than the Food Network. You’re getting this riled up over me?”

You laugh a little at his remark, “All for you. Shine that dick up for me, baby. I need you to match this moisture.”

He reaches for y’alls personal lube and works it in. He makes the task look effortless, when you get a good cardio workout whenever you work his tool. His 6’5 frame is an obvious tell of what he works with, and it is a marathon, not a sprint to wear him out. The slicking sound of he made as polished his pipe just about sends you over the edge. “Ah, (Y/N), you’re holding back on me. I want to be inside you. Go within yourself so I can feel your walls surrounding me.”

You slide a couple digits inside of you, biting down your gasp as you look down at your man hypnotized by your body. 

“I can practically taste your excitement, darling. My lips enveloping your clit as you buck in sweet agony.”

There is a thud in the background.

You sit a little straighter, “What was that?”

M’Baku shakes his head, “Don’t worry about that, probably a car door closing next door. I want you to come for me, quickly.”

You look down at the screen. M’Baku’s face is perspiring a little; you see the sweat on his neck and chest and you imagine your hands gripping his shoulders as his length pummels you.

“Ohhh, I wish you were inside of me now,” You gasp as you angle the phone to show your fingers penetrating your vulva.

“(Y/N), Hanuman’s sake, look at that full, pretty pussy. You’re making this too difficult for me, I can’t–”

Soon, you hear the door being banged on, the sound of barks causes you to drop the phone.

“M’BAKU!! What was that??!!” you yell, covering yourself before picking it back up.

“Uhh, uhh…” M’Baku, has his shorts back on, covering his front, talking at the door in yoruba. “I said give me 30 minutes at least!”

“What was that, M’Baku?? Do you have someone there?!”

He comes up on the camera, “(Y/N), I would not have a reason to lie to you. But I did omit something before I got –”

The door bursts open, four of his tribesmen come in, chanting some drunken song in yoruba.

“Oh my God, M’Baku! I told you not to have them up in there! You can’t follow my rules for one day?!”

M’Baku is speaking to them, pushing them back out of the room. One of them points down at him, saying something that makes the others laugh and wave at you through the screen. M’Baku, covers himself again, yelling at them and pointing out the door as they scatter.

Closing the door, M’Baku comes up to the screen, “(Y/N)…” He draws it out like a purr, trying to coax you into forgiveness.

“No! Don’t say my name like that, what the fuck was that about!”

He bends his head, sighing. “They came unannounced. I didn’t have a chance to turn them down since they were banging at the front door, barging in.”

“And you didn’t tell them no? I thought you were their alpha or whatever, they don’t listen to you?”

“Theeyyy dooo…” He says screwing up his face, “But I figured, they’d be gone before you called, and I lost track of time…”

“Why would you keep this from me? I may have been ok if you had just texted me with the heads up! I got my tits and ass all out, talking dirty, what if they heard??”

“Enough! They were wrapped up in their show downstairs, they didn’t even know I was talking to you. And as far as them coming over, you’d never go for it, I know you. When they are here, you bang pots and slam doors, catching the cleaning-bug as soon as they are there until they leave. You can’t stand them!”

“Because they eat us out of house and home, keep using up the toilet paper and when they leave, it’s like a damn hurricane hit the living room!”

He gives you a look of contempt, “Are you done? Really, because you are upsetting yourself more after the day you had with this non-problem.”

“Don’t fucking dismiss me, M’Baku. I just don’t wanna come home to a pigsty when I get back.”

“It’s not like it isn’t one when you’re here,” he says under his breath.

“Nigga WHAT?”

“Hanuman sake, please, can we calm down and get back to something more pleas–”

“Ask them for a show then!”

You hang up on him. No way in hell you bustin’ open after all that foolishness. M’Baku brought his entire crew to your spot on day one! Why wouldn’t he even tell you though, doing some cam sex while they are downstairs, is he crazy?

You lay under the covers pouting. Any fun you hoped to have on this trip is looking less likely by the minute. Now even your man is bringing problems on you.

M’Baku paces the floor a couple seconds after the call ended. He wonders if you have gone mad all of a sudden. To go from the throes of passion to biting his head off is a feat only you could master. There was no way he would be groveling for forgiveness right now. This was his house too, he had every right to have company over, no matter who it was. The Jabari are his lifelong mates, what sense does it make to have to ask permission for family or friends to come by. 

He makes his way downstairs, to see only two of his friends left and they were heading out of the door.

“Akoje! What’s going on, why are you leaving?”

They look at each other a moment in the doorway, then back at him, “Come on, M’Baku, you need privacy, you should’ve just told us. Plus, we don’t need to be on your lady’s hitlist. Thought not being here would make it a chill night but she finds a way.” The other Jabari laughs at this.

M’Baku peers down at them, “Ok, keep the comments light, eh? But I finished with her, I didn’t say leave.”

The other Jabari starts now, “No, you did not finish….” causing him to be elbowed in the ribs by Akoje as he giggles.

“Alright, Enache, mind your business. That seemed to be the only problem today was no one minding their own business! I asked for half an hour!”

“Ya, to take a shower! But that was Enache’s fault, he wanted to play Uno, and couldn’t find the cards so he decided to sniff you out.”

Enache huffs in disagreement, “It was Ogoro! That’s why he left out so quick. He didn’t hear your water running so he just said, let’s ambush, he isn’t doing anything! I respect your relationship, M’Bop.” He says with puppy dog eyes.

M’Baku’s eyes practically jump out of his head at their knowledge of his pet name. “HOW DO YOU KNOW–” he kisses his teeth throwing his palm out in their direction. “ Oh whatever! And don’t go lying under my roof.”

Akoje is shocked, clutching his pearls, “Honest to Hanuman! It’s wonderful! We hadn’t seen you fall this hard under someone since the Panther!”

“All right! GET OUT!” M’Baku goads them out with his booming voice as they scatter laughing and barking out to their cars.

M’Baku leans on the door as he takes a deep breath. Suddenly he is exhausted, so it was probably for the best that the guys left. He walks over to sit on his couch. Chip bags open and remnants scattered on the table. Half drunken and empty beer bottles line the edge and carpet by the furniture’s legs. M’Baku leans forward rubs his face in frustration before getting up and going to the guest bathroom. He opens the door before quiky shutting it, clutching his nose. Whatever happened in there is hopefully flushed and just needing to air out, but a disaster definitely erupted.

M’Baku decides that the mess will have to wait until tomorrow, it was already approaching midnight and his job starts in the morning at 6 am. Heading up the stairs he makes his way to the bedroom to take a quick shower. After toweling off, he heads for the bed, covers feeling cool against every inch of his skin. His body begins to wind down from all of the sexual frustration and Jabari disrespect, but is not used to the extra space in his bed. He is still mostly on his side, but feels over to yours, imagining your curves as his own personal skyline. He reaches for his phone to check, but nothing is on it from you, just a couple of memes from the other Jabari clowning him endlessly. He sets it back down, turning toward where you would be. He was already remorseful, especially since you were right, but he didn’t want to bar his guys from visiting, that is just rude. He takes a deep breath, drifting off to hopes of tomorrow being better.


	3. “…you really did a number on me.”

The irritating jingle of his alarm wakes M’Baku slowly as he reaches to turn it off. The soft yellow glow of the sunrise seeps through the blinds as he awakes. He turns over to reach to the other side of the bed but his hand drops dramatically on the mattress. M’Baku’s head flies up in distress only to calm down once reality settles in again. Your body where you once laid for him to snuggle and grind up on in the morning is now miles away from him. M’Baku’s face plummets into his pillow, letting out a frustrated huff. This was going to be a lot harder than he imagined. Having the house to himself seemed like it might be relaxing but physical touch is M’Baku’s love language and that is just not possible solo. He tried that yesterday, and it just isn’t the same with you being there.

Rolling off to the side, he sits for a moment, head hanging, collecting his thoughts. It’s a little after 4 am, so you wouldn’t be up just yet, he surmises but picks his phone up anyway. No message from you, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re still angry, right? He hopes you will text him anyway, but you were pretty damn pissed so if 10 am comes without an answer, he’ll go ahead.

Rising with a stretch, he goes to the restroom, get dressed and gets some breakfast going. Heading downstairs, the remnants of last night still lurks in the room. No time to clean now. he shakes his head to himself, promising that he will talk to his men about treating his space with some damn respect. Getting the blender ot, he puts together a protein shake to get his body going for the day. The house is so quiet without you being there. Even though you didn’t have to be up at his work hour, you couldnt sleep without him and sometimes you would blast some old school jams while making him a decent meal before he goes to work.

Decked out in his Under Armour shirt and Adidas track pants, with his Pumas on, he was ready to get to the gym. M’Baku has been doing physical training for a few years now. He dips and dabbles in many different channels of training, but today is just a simple boot camp regime that he advertised to get people right for the summer. It’s a quick and easy way for people to become interested in his program, and it usually pulls a certain type of clientele. They come for the workout but stay for him, which he is completely aware of. But it never becomes more than shameless flirting on their end and once their session is up, it’s done anyway.

Hopping in his SUV, he sets off to work. Making his way down a freeway, the trill of a phone call interrupts his Jay Prince jamming. Your name displays on his dash, causing his heart rate to rise a little, thinking fondly that you still can’t rest at this hour. But also, will you be mad or over last night by now? M’Baku picks up.

“Hey, whatchu doin up this early, love?” He asks tentatively.

You say groggily, “I couldn’t sleep much more. You know I’m always up at this hour but I think I’m nervous about the first day.”

M’Baku nodding says, “Oh, please. You got this (Y/N). You come this far, you’re just getting your feet wet. Once you are in it, you’ll probably be bored to death.”

You smile to yourself thankful for his encouragement. “Yeah it’ll definitely be bored with all these white folks trying to pep us up in the world of business and commerce. You headed to work?”

“Yeah, might even be early this time,” M’Baku says, reaching for his shake taking a sip.

A police car zooms up to M’Baku’s car. The officer is looking at M’Baku for entirely too long since he is driving on the highway. M’Baku looks at him through his peripheral.

“Did you get some real food in you instead of just that protein lab created mess?”

M’Baku screwing his face up in a knot, “Yeah, I just got some fruit and a bagel.”

The police officer is still parallel to him. M’Baku looks over once and the officer has a radio in his hand, talking into it, looking him dead in his eyes.

“We were out of bagels when I left…” you say suspiciously.

M’Baku chuckles nervously, “I am capable of replenishing the fridge, you know?”

M’Baku keeps looking forward, he switches lanes to make the next exit.

You, not convinced, “Riiiight. Well I’m going to lay a little more until I have to get ready. Drive safe.”

“I will, go get em.” But you already hung up. Nodding to himself, M’Baku says,“Ok, we are still mad.” Looking in his rearview, the police car is gone.

That wasn’t the worst conversation you all had, but the tension was still there. M’Baku didn’t want to engage with you about it head on since you are just starting our first work day, but he does not like for arguments between you guys to go unresolved, he faces the issue head on and talks it out. So for now, you win, but the war ain’t over.

M’Baku pulls up to the gym, Baerobics. It has a reputation of hiring the best trainers that are the best looking. It won’t discriminate though, since everyone has their own taste, but it is practically a workout buddy meat market. M’Baku was a popular choice for clients but he believes in his work so the turnover rate is a little high, but those that stick around are either dedicated or paying for a show, which is still a win-win either way.

Swiping his key card, he makes his way inside. The receptionist says good morning as he makes his way to his space to set up for his first appointment. It’s 5:45 am, so he had a little time to look at his emails.

There’s a knock at his office door, and it’s the receptionist.

“Hey, how ya been, big guy?” She asks in a cheery tone.

“I’m great, Cheryl. You have a good weekend?”

She rolls her eyes, walking in like the details are too juicy to keep at the door. She is a brunette, 5 foot nothing, menopausal caucasian. She talks too much, but is good people.

“I thought you’d never ask. I told you about my nephew? Well, he has his graduation coming up.”

“Coming up? It’s already halfway through May, you didn’t mention it before.” M’Baku leans in, inquisitively.

“RIGHT?! I didn’t know until now! He is so secretive, and unsocial, I can’t wrap my head around that guy anymore. My sister is in shambles, trying to plan out the party on such short notice. Cake, photographer, venue, inviting family. I try to tell her to cool it, and keep it small, but she is not a friend of common sense.”

M’Baku discreetly looks at his computer’s clock. His appointment should be there any minute.

“Well, if you guys need any help, just let me know. I love decorating, and I could bring a dish or two. I feel like family, as much as you talk to me about them.”

Cheryl covers her heart, “Ohhh, M’BAKU, you are a saint made for sin! I’d love to see those hands do delicate work!” Laughing out loud, landing a hand on his forearm. She is like an aunt to you, but her jokes always make her infatuations clear.

The bell at the front door rings faintly in the background, making Cheryl jump up.

“Oh! We’re open! So I will text you later this week about the details, because we could use all the help we can get. Plus I have someone I’d love for you to meet.”

M’Baku raises his hands in protest, “No, no, no, Cheryl, I have a girlfriend.”

Cheryl turns mouth agape, “Still?? Wow, she must be a keeper then. Well, she is friendly, so it may happen regardless, she knows boundaries though. Thanks again!”

Cheryl leaves, M’Baku rubs his eyes in frustration. Why did he sign up to help her? He doesn’t know when it will be and for how long. He doesn’t even know her people, what if their racist as fuck?

He gets an IM from Cheryl, You have a visitor!

M’Baku types back a thank you and gets up to look out in his studio.

“M’BAKU! Getcho fat ass out here boah!”

He knew that voice anywhere, Akoje made his way to the stude.

“Akoje, what are you doing here man?”

Akoje was binding his locs into a bun on top of his head. Bouncing on his toes, his tall lanky frame was decked out in some bright neon patterned tights and a one-piece that said “I Need a Baker” with the face of the referenced singer.

“I’m cashing in on my free trial session, Kukie.” He says as he drops down to do burpees.

“I gave you, like five of those, which was four too many.” He says through gritted teeth.

Akoje pops back up to standing, “Oh, you keep count? Well then shit, just help your Jabari out, I have no means of training. Look at me, I am flab and bones.”

He turns sideways, practically doing a backbend to show off a non-existent belly.

“Ayye, go on with all of that, man. You should have had a membership of your own now. You could get your steps in by cleaning up my place for the mess you all made.”

Akoje lifts his hands in innocence, “Hey, that had nothing to do with me, you know Ogoro is on his see-food diet. We told him to slow up, but luckily the toilet wasn’t too far.”

M’Baku claps his hands in excitement, “And another thing! What the fuck happened in my bath-”

The door to his studio creeks open.

“Hey, sorry I’m late, traffic was pretty crazy today.”

M’Baku’s real first client comes in. Her yellow bone body, looked like gold melted into some hot pink fashion nova workout gear that does not hide a single aspect of her figure, which itself is nothing short of an advertisement for being someone’s trophy wife.

She lays down her bag and water, and Akoje in entranced.

“Ok, scrap the training, lemme be your assistant today.”

“No.”

“Come on! I been wondering about becoming a trainer anyway.”

“No.”

“I will pay YOU to let me do this.”

M’Baku pauses, then hold out his hand, “Gimme $20.”

Akoje unzips a side pocket on his legging and slaps it in M;Baku’s hand, looking back at the client Birdman style.

M’Baku pockets the money, “Now get out.”

Akoje looks back incredulously, “Man, I gave you the money!”

The client looks at them cautiously, then back to her phone.

M’Baku starts loudly, “Yes sir, thank you for catching up on your sessions, but I am with someone at the moment so please ait in the lobby until we are done here.” He takes Akoje by the arm and leads him out the door.

Once outside Akoje points back at M’Baku saying, “You ain’t shiiiiit. You better give me some details later!” Right before M’Baku closes the door.

M’Baku turns back to his client, “I am sorry about that, forgive me. I am M’Baku, I will be your Baerobics instructor this week.”

The client giggles holding out a manicured hand, “No problem, it was kind of cute to see. You all cousins or something?” she says with an accent from somewhere South.

“Yeah, we are. A little too close in relation if you ask me.”

“Oh cut him a break. I wasn’t sure who was my trainer so maybe he should consider it. I’m Kenie by the way.” She flashes a Colgate, dimpled smile that caught M’Baku a little by surprise as she puts her hand out for a firm shake.

“Kenie?” M’Baku repeats.

“Yeah, like Kenny from South Park, just spelled different. It’s short for Kennedy, but my friends call me Kenie.”

“Oh, ok. Well then Kennedy it is.” He says, before chortling out loud. Kenie made a face, pushing him at his chest, as he feigns injury.

“My goodness, you are stronger than you look, Ms. Kenie. How could you?”

“Yeah and you are only soft in feelings, I see.” She says, shaking her hand like she just punched a brick wall. Kenie was very charismatic so far but M’Baku knew how to keep it casual and professional.

“So let’s just go over to my office and do a questionnaire about you dietary and training needs”

He pulls out a chair for her as she arches her butt out to sit. Maybe she can’t help it, but M’Baku kept his gaze averted. He makes his way to the other side, her eyes follow his body until he is seated, and they get started.

M’Baku starts his introduction, “So, I like to start my sessions just asking what your goals are, and what you’re looking to improve on during these sessions.”

She crosses her arms under her breasts, looking off into space, “Well, summer is approaching, so you know bikinis and pool parties are happening real, real quick. So I just want to make sure I’m toned up, some definition on my stomach,” she looks down feeling her flat tummy, “And get my arms right, legs tight, all that.”

M’Baku looks her over as she points to her ‘problem areas’, “Yeah, you have a good foundation in your midsection, I can tell. But there’s plenty to do that’ll get you toned, just have to mostly watch your diet to make sure it appears.”

Kenie rolls her eyes, “Ugh, I know! I just love my carbs though, it’s a struggle.”

M’Baku chuckles, “Yeah I love them too, sweets as well, but it’s about moderation and discipline to get the results. You won’t have to give them up too long though, I don’t believe in completely abstaining from what you crave.”

Kenie leans forward, hands on her knees, biting her lip looking over his desk slightly. “I know, I agree completely.” M’Baku was not sure if they were talking about sweets and carbs anymore.

Clearing his throat, “Ok, so we can do some little warm up exercises just to see where your fitness level is.”

Back in his studio, M’Baku requests her to do some squats, watching her form. She is hesitant every time she goes into it.

M’Baku approaches her, “Try to keep your back straight as you go down.” She nods, attempting again.

“Not quite like that. Carry your chest high and try again.” He puts his hand to her upper back as she goes down.

M’Baku touches under her bicep, “Arms up and lean back a bit further.”

She looks like she is fighting back a smile, but she turns into a pro at it after a few rounds.

“Good, again.” M’Baku commands.

She breaths and goes.

“Perfect, now lower.”

She goes, little lower for two rounds.

“Ok, I think you can go lower.”

She does, smiling broadly now. “I can definitely do that…”

“Yeah, that’s it! Good. Ok stop. That was great!”

She smiles, fanning herself, “No thank you! Seeing that in the mirror was a treat.”

“Yeah, your form really locked in once we got going.”

“Mhmm…once I get going, it’s hard to stop, especially when it feels good, you know?” She says with an odd expression

M’Baku nods looking away for a second, “Ok, now we’ll move on to some ab workouts.”

M’Baku gave her a full body workout: Abs, arms, lower body, cardio, stretching. She didn’t seem to be a stranger to the gym, but she may have been nervous because everytime M’Baku came close to target specific parts of her body that she needed to watch, she really listened and seemed renewed with purpose.

“Thanks again for the session, you really did a number on me.” She takes his hand.

“No problem at all, you are a great student! So is it the same time tomorrow?”

“Sure! I may be walking funny, but I’m sure you’re used to that effect on people.”

As she left, M’Baku went to his phone, checking to see a snap from you. It’s a picture of a meal captioned ‘Continental breakfast=TRASH’ He smiled, sending her an SMH text. Back in his office, his studio door opens and AKoje bursts in, “Yo, that baby girl you were bending over and shit is having car troubles, you got jumper cables?”

M’Baku goes down to survey the scene. Kenie is long faced before she see’s M’Baku approaching.

“Hey, M’Baku, I am so sorry. Your cousin offered your help before I could figure things out. You don’t have to, but I just can’t get the damn thing to start.”

“Yeah, lemme get the cables.”

M;Baku pulls his car in next to hers and pops the hood so start the process. A couple of turns and she finally has power again.

Looking relieved, she yells out the window, “You are a godsend! Thank you thank you!”

M’Baku unhooks the cables and comes over to her window, “It was nothing, we can’t have you stranded on your first day.”

“I will have to repay you!”

“No, don’t worry about that.”

“Please! I got you, I won’t take no for an answer. I’ll think of something. But for now, I will see you tomorrow”

She pulls off and Akoje is slow clapping.

“What in Hanuman’s name are you doing?”

Akoje stops and laughs, “My my, I should be asking you the same thing! What was that?!”

M’Baku is confused, “You told me she needed help, so I came to do that.”

Akoje nods, “Mhm, and she is going to come back to do you, trust me.”

“Ayye! What kind of language is that. You know that’s not going to happen. You shoot your shot, ok?”

“Oh I plan to trust, but I actually don’t know. I’m smart but no psychic, but a rocket scientist isn’t needed to judge that she wants that ass man.”

“I’m not stupid. She isn’t the first to come on to me, if she even was, I never entertain that, you know.”

“Yeah except she isn’t ugly or crazy acting. I’m just telling you to watch your back. As far as handling all that ass, I know she could use your help getting real loooow, and DEEP into those exercises.” Akoje says with throaty bass in his voice.

M’Baku brushed off Akoje’s talk. M’Baku is as wild about you as you are about him, so no instagram model is going to take his heart that easily.

Later that day, after going through his appointments, he starts to head home, exhausted and sweaty to the nth degree. A call comes through on his dash, Mama.

M’Baku clears his throat before picking up. When his mother calls, he never knows if it is to say hello, how are you, or to cut him down to a nub for not calling or coming around more often and not appreciating her.

“Hello, Mama, what’s up?” M’Baku says in a cheery voice.

“What’s up? Is that how you greet you mother? Try that again.” she says sourly.

M’Baku rolls his eyes, “How are you doing today, mama?”

“Oh, I am doing great, Kuku!” Renewed with a bubbly personality. “What are you doing now, my son?”

“I am headed back to the house, probably relaxing for the evening.”

“Ohhh, you work so hard all the time. You deserve it. But don’t act like you are 80 years old, you have it so much better than me or your father did at your age.”

M’Baku’s mother was pretty good at building up to a compliment and adding a criticism at the exit door.

“Yes, I know mama. Did you need something?” he says exasperatedly.

“Oh, I thought you’d never ask. Well, I could use some help with this new shelf your father bought but will not read the instructions for. So now it is some abstract art piece in the middle of my floor.”

“Ok, I can do that. Maybe I’ll come by this weekend to do it?”

He hears her kiss her teeth, “Eh, you super busy this week or something? Does the girl have you running around for her, waiting at her hands and feet?”

M’Baku shakes his head, accelerating, “No, mama, she is out of town this week for work.”

“OH!!” she exclaims. “Then you should take me out! It’s been so long since you and I had mother-son time alone. How about that?”

M’Baku thought about this for a beat. It had been a while, not because he didn’t like to see his mother but it’s so busy working and taking care of your own problems before adding on someone else’s. They used to get into some heated discussion over this, especially since being with you, but she seems to have adjusted for the most part.

“Ok, that sounds good then. I’ll call you when I have the time.”

“Ok, Kuku. Muah, I love you!”

“Love you too, mama.”

Making it back inside, he is greeted yet again with the mess left from the day before. Yet again, he is too tired to even deal. Whipping his shirt off, he adds it to the pile of mess and makes his way upstairs to shower. As the water ran down his head to his body, he thought about his day. He will have to cancel with Cheryl because of his mom, so for once, thank Hanuman for her calling. Getting his washcloth lathered, he worked on his chest and torso. And that girl, Kenie. Something seemed different about her than others he had seen. Neck and face done, he works his sensitive areas and crevices. Clearly she flirted, but that wasn’t it. She was really interesting for some reason. He turns the cold water up some to rinse off, shaking his head as the water cascaded down.

Then the thought that he hadn’t heard from you all day came into his mind, so he hops out of the shower and makes his way to towel off and goes to the bedroom. Picking his phone off the charge, he looks at his messages. Nothing, not a single text or missed call from you. It’s only 6 pm so your day might not be quite over yet, but you send a text to her just asking what’s up. Walking away he gets a text almost immediately from you.

_Yeah, fine but we need to talk._


	4. ”…I’m just worried that he’ll get caught up with someone better than me?”

Your first day with your work trip has been as boring as M’Baku told you it’d be. You practically fell asleep on some 60 year old droning on about company ethos and strategic planning, etc., etc. You wish you could just coast through this, but you have to report back to your job about what you learned and your plan is to use what you learned to come up with ideas that would improve the productivity there, securing an upper level position. But, nothing was being said worth a damn this day. 

After the speaker wraps up. You get an intermission to grab a snack. A table is spread with muffins, cookies, fruit, waters and soda. People are milling around like it’s the last supper so you mindlessly look at you phone as you wait, No reason to run people down for absolutely nothing.

“Damn, ain’t gonna get a damn croissant by the time these whites move out the damn way.” A woman’s voice says.

You turn and look down at a dark skinned lady with faux locs, hand on her hip, shaking her head.

“Who you tellin?” You say, more to yourself than to her.

She looks your way, “I been to this thing 3 times now, and I swear they get more and more pointless every time.”

You turn towards her, more intrigued. “Why have you been so often?”

She rolls her eyes, “I’m a scheduled speaker here. I conjure up as much nonsense as I can until it resembles something you could nod about.”

You straighten up a little at that tidbit of info, “Ohhh, I’m sorry. I must’ve not seen you yet…”

She holds her hand up, “Don’t worry about it. I’m here all week but it ain’t much to miss. I speak more on common sense than anything really corporate. I’m basically a diversity token, and expected to stay in that lane of bias and prejudice policing.” The line finally allows them to make it to the table, and start fixing their plates.

“Wow, that’s kind of intense. Is that what you want to be doing?”

“Lowkey, yeah. I work in HR so it’s easy to talk about cuz, you know, common sense. And watching them squirm at their microaggressions being regurgitated as a Do Not list is entertaining.”

“That’s dope. My name is (Y/N), by the way.” you say holding out your hand.

“I’m Niecy, that’s what I go by casually anyway. Otherwise, I’m Carmen. So what do you do, (Y/N)?”

“I work in Marketing. I’m just trying to move up in the ranks right now; trying to be the one calling the shots, you know?”

“Of course, who doesn’t?” Plates filled, they walk over to a table with two stools in a corner. “But do you want to be at that company in a high position?”

You chew your bite of bagel before continuing, “Yeah, that’s what I meant.”

“No, like being there. Do you wanna work your way up in that company specifically or move elsewhere?”

You pause with a piece of fruit on your fork. “I…actually never thought about that…”

She nods as she chews on her croissant with jam. “It’s important to think about. Everybody wants the title but if you aren’t where you wanna be or clicking with the people there, then why dig yourself deeper?”

You nod. Where would you even go though? Are you ready to consider moving on like that? Especially when you put in so much work there already. To start fresh somewhere else is scary to think about.

Looking down at your plate, you really didn’t feel like finishing its contents, so you snap a pic to send to M’Baku.

“You one of those food-grammers?” Niecy asks.

You smile a little embarrassed, “No. I’m sending this to my boyfriend. He cooks a lot and I wanted him to see what I gotta eat without his input. It’s very disappointing so far.”

Niecy crooks her chin into her chest, “Oh, he put it down like that?”

You nod shyly, “He really does. He’s a vegetarian though, so it be some different stuff, but he makes it taste good most of the time.”

“Ok, I gotta see a picture. Pull him up.” She opens and closes her hand out in anticipation.

You go through your camera roll and show her.

“He a vegetarian?? What the hell he eat, whole bales of hay?!” she says, scrolling.

You almost fall out your seat at her reaction. People stay surprised by M’Baku’s size versus lifestyle.

“No girl! But he eats well; he knows his body and what to do with it.”

A different expression flashes across Niecy’s face and she hands the phone back, “Yeah, it seem like he would…I scrolled too far, my bad.” She sips her tea a little forced.

Your mouth agape a little, you apologize too, even though there’s no reason to. 

Niecy checks her phone, “Well, I gotta prepare for another talk. But listen, I like you girl, so lemme get your number and I’m going to text you later. One thing about these trips is that the nights are pretty wild. Where you stayin?”

You punch your digits in, handing the phone back. “Ok, that sounds good to me. I need something to energize me. I’m at the Hyatt on Providence.”

“Yaaass!! I’m there too, 28th floor, so we will meet in the lobby. Don’t worry, I’ll get you livened up real quick. I’ll see you later!” she waved as she flitted away

You wondered if you were gonna make a new connection out here, and look at what happened! Niecy seems hella cool, and she’s giving some business advice too? You’re gonna milk this for what it’s worth.

The last seminar of the day finishes, and you practically bolt out the building. You hurry up and make it back to your room to shower and do some pre-primping. You still have to wait on Niecy’s call before you can officially get ready, ready. You play some Leikeli47, really feeling yourself, spray your hair, shaking your ass. 

Your music pauses as your phone begins to ring. It’s a number you don’t recognize but you pick it up anyway.

“Hey girl, hey! You gettin’ ready (Y/N)?”

You smile big. “I am lady! I’m too excited! When you tryna leave by?”

“Meet me at 5:30 so we can still pregame with some happy hour.”

You pause, “You said, pregame?”

You hear her tongue click in the background, “Yes, Mother Teresa, pregame! The night ain’t over til the am, sis! Imma get you right!”

You get excited but now it’s with more anxiety than before. Here you thought it’d be a casual dinner at little cocktail bar. But now it’s almost sounding like a Freaknik. You go through your suitcase to see what could be transformed into a twockin outfit but still wanna play it more safe than sorry. You had about 45 minutes to get it together.

You make it to the lobby, and there is no one there. You look around and it’s about as vacant as any area can be, so you sit and check your phone for any missed messages. None yet, you wonder what his ass was doing. Should you text him about what you’re doing?

“Look at you! Too cute!” Niecy walks in arms wide, looking way more Freaknik than expected.

“Heyy, I was just tryna make sure I don’t outshine you!” You go to hug her. Niecy’s wearing a cream colored bodycon dress with a low cleavage the makes her look ready for surgery, heels that could make the ground bleed. 

She laughs out loud, “Quit playin! I got this jacket here to make me more civilized until the sun goes down.” She pulls on her black trench that honestly just makes her look like she is a lady of the night even more.

“Aight, you ready baby! Let’s hit up the bar downstairs.”

The piano bar was dimly lit, with comfy lounge furniture. You both click clack down to the bar. You order an amaretto sour, and she gets a vodka soda. 

After a your first drink is almost done, you all get to talking more personally.

You ask, “If you don’t mind me asking how old are you?”

Niecy laughs out loud, slapping the bar repeatedly. The balding bartender gives you all a confused look.

“I’m sorry! I just can’t tell cuz you look so great but you have such position to get to be a speaker at this summit. I can’t place it!”

Niecy dabs her eyes, “No, sweetie, it’s fine. I’m 41.”

You lean back in shock, “Woooow…”

“Ok, now I’m offended.” She says, motioning for another drink.

“No, no, sorry. But you look great! Not like 40 is old, I just thought, you know, you’re so spirited!” you stammer.

“I get it. Black don’t crack, especially when you’re faithfully Aztec clay-ing, and shea buttering, you know?”

You nod leaning on the bar as the bartender comes with two topped off glasses for you both. As you sip, you ask, “So what about your love life. Seeing anyone or…”

Niecy purses her lips, looking off into space, “I’m not married, was once, early in my 20s but he was not for me. We grew up together and were really more friends than lovers in the end.”

You nod as she continues, “But my dating life is pretty fun. I don’t have a stable of whores, you know. But I like having variety. I also like distance, so when I’m tired, I can go back to my home or kick them out and have my bed and my fridge to myself.” She winks at you, sipping.

“That sounds so cool. I never got a hoe-tation down pat like that before I got into a relationship. Barely even tried.” You sigh.

“Well it ain’t for everybody! But trust me, if I had what you got, I’d lock that down in holy matrimony, with as many babies as my body can handle.” She laughs into her drink.

“He is great, I mean, in just about every way he makes me feel like a queen! I’ve never been catered to so much.” You say as your finger circles the rim of your glass.

Niecy puts her hand on yours, “Then you found a good one! So many niggas out here wanna use their dick to cover their rent while telling you all you wanna hear to keep you distracted thinking it’s real. If he working, payin shit, and supporting you, what’s wrong?”

You pause looking down at your drink with a furrowed brow.

Niecy catches on, “(Y/N) is something wrong?”

You look up again, “It’s just that, he is SO good to me, others notice? And…he is a nice guy so he is rarely just rude for no reason. It takes some personal shit for him to be mean. I’m just worried that he’ll get caught up with someone better than me?”

“Oh please…” Niecy starts.

“No, hear me out. I can be real critical of him at times. Like I got mad cuz his boys came over when they treat our place like a trap house. He grew up with them though, so I know they are important but I basically forbid them. So what if he goes somewhere else with them and do some boys-will-be-boys type shit?”

“Sweetie, you are not wrong to expect some respect in your house. His friends should do that much. But forbidding him from some lifelong friends will cause nothing but trouble. That’s like trying to stop a man from watching sports, and adjusting themselves in public, it just ain’t gonna happen! But if you still feel heavy about this, you gotta apologize. Nothing wrong with putting your pride aside for someone you love.”

Your phone lights up and you check to see a message from M’Baku asking how you are doing. Your eyes well up a moment but you blink them back. You text back saying you need to talk to him. Niecy was right, be a woman and apologize this once and soften the demands a little. You start to excuse yourself from Niecy and make your way to the bathroom. Checking yourself in the mirror, you touch up some oiliness as someone comes out of a stall to wash their hands.

“No wonder it smells like shit up in here.”

You look to the other mirror mid-blot and see that one woman from the airport mean muggin you – Shay.

You do a couple more blots, and put your compact back in your purse before saying, “Well you did just come out of the stall, but please keep the details to yourself.”

Shay turns off the water, “The fuck your child-looking ass doing in here any damn way? You got a fake ID or something?” 

You roll your eyes as you put your hand on your hip. “Yeah, sure. It’s also, seniors night so I’m glad you were able to crawl your rusty tail up in here.” You walk around her to go out the door.

Walking up to Niecy who has the bartender by the tie. You ask her to go.

“Yeah! I’m litty titty now girl, let’s go!” she exclaims as you help her down the stool.”

“So THAT’S why you ain’t got a man? You beatin’ up box, huh?” Shay yells coming out the bathroom.

“The fuck is her problem?” Niecy asks annoyed.

“Nobody, let’s get the fuck out.” you say hushed.

“It’s a shame you ain’t got no dick in ya life, baby girl. That’s why you always in people’s face over nonsense?” Shay’s man Carl comes up to take her arm which she swiftly reels back.

“Bitch, maybe you ain’t gettin none proper cuz the only one actin’ like they ass itch is you. So go on back to that bathroom and finish what you started ma’am.” Niecy says as you walk her towards the door.

Shay kneels down a little, hands pressed in prayer. “OOH! So now the talking cheese is gonna preach to us?! Baby girl, tell your high yellow husband-wife to go on for I nail her short ass to the ground.”

Niecy walks back with sobered speed to the bar as you respond, “Take your drunk ass on to your baby, if you even know where the hell she is.”

Shay starts clapping, “Fuck. All. That. Bull–” Suddenly a hose of water hits her face as she chokes and sputters trying to block it. Carl has retreated behind a column to save himself.

Niecy is laughing maniacally as she keeps the stream on Shay, who has slipped on the floor trying to maneuver over to the bar to stop Niecy. You take the hose from Niecy and run with her out the door as she thanks the bartender.

You guys are trotting as best you can in your shoes. “This way! The club is right here!” Niecy says as you guys take a sharp turn and make your way to the front door, frantically showing your IDs and going inside. 

You both laugh as you all catch your breath. “Phew! Aight, jackets off! Time to dance baby!” Niecy removes her trench and passes it to coat check. You take you cardigan off and wrap it around your waist so your crop top and skirt look a little more Instagrammable.

The club was really hopping for being early still as far as party hours go.

“There’s a lotta people here!” You yell in Niecy’s ear.

“No shit! They pull in a crowd when our summit is scheduled to be here. People gotta get up early for the conferences so the party starts early.”

You all walk through the crowd to find a pocket of space. Cardi B plays over the stereos and you both go crazy. Niecy leans on a wall to bend over and make her ass clap to the beat. You laugh and twist your hips around before dropping down to get your eagle on. Swag surf comes on next and everybody screams. You and Niecy look at each other knowingly and get into position to move with the crowd on the chorus, screaming the lyrics with ample ferocity. 

A couple songs later, y’all are fanning yourselves as a sexy song from dvsn comes on. You all smile at each other and do a quick little offbeat two-step together until two brothers come through. One is talking to Niecy who is getting giggly but you have your own situation in front of you. Tall medium toned, with short locs, but shaved on the side, wearing a long sleeve with those four buttons undone at the chest and distressed jeans with boots. He smiles flashing these two golds on the bottom row of his teeth. 

He leans into your ear, “I seen you dancing earlier, you got some moves on you.” The bass in his voice tickles you.

“Yeah, I love to dance. It’s just, something I do.” You stammer into his ear. 

He bites his lip, eyes slipping down you for a millisecond. “I can tell. You mind showing me some? I could get a little more practice.” he asks.

You look over at Niecy who practically has her legs wrapped around her partner at this point. You look back at the guy who looks at you with confident patience. Like he already knows you will say yes, but even if you say no, he knows you wanted to say yes.

You think about if this is appropriate or not, to do. It is just dancing, and M’Baku is not possessive over you, like at all, in public. When you guys were dating and he was not feeling a song, you would dance by yourself and others would just join off of your energy, sometimes guys, but M’Baku would just watch, almost in amusement as they tried to come close but you would keep a cute middle school dance distance. When you’d go back to him, he’d laugh and ask if you enjoyed yourself. It was almost like foreplay with y’all cuz he would wind up dicking you down not long after with a vengeance to remind you who really gives you a good time. 

You look back at your potential partner, “Ok. Just no funny business?”

He puts his arms up in nonverbal agreeance. You both start to move your bodies side to side, body rolling in your personal bubbles. The guy tries to snake his smirking face in your face, tauntingly. You shimmy backward to bring the space back between y’all. The guy makes a spin motion with his hand as he goes to grab your hand. You tentatively allow it as he raises your hand and you turn your body in a circle as your part comes up on the song. You start to stop but he mouths “one more!” and you giggle as the mood softens your mood, so you do so. Out of the spin, he still has a hold of your hand as you all do a proper two step. Every round of the choreography brings you closer to each other, your partner grabs both of your hands pushing you both apart, arms outstretched. Then he brings your hands apart, naturally closing the distance, spinning you both around. You laugh out loud at the mood, your face comes into his ample chest and you hand come to his ridiculously large arm. You didn’t expect such large muscles from such an agile guy. 

Suddenly you both float into a steady close quarters rhythm. Your partner takes your hands again to guide you away and back, stepping side to side. You’re having a great time, you aren’t even thinking when he spins you again and pulls you in halfway through so your back is to his front. He holds your hand against your stomach, and guides your other hand to hold the back of his head, as he nuzzles your neck. Your moves go from backyard BBQ to basement adults only when his pelvis becomes animated against you, and his kiss against your neck snaps you outta it. 

You turn around swiftly to see him with his hands up again, but with a satisfied smile. You feel a wave of embarrassment and feel more than ready to leave. You push past him to find Niecy twirling her partner’s hair in her fingers. You tap her and motion to your wrist to signal time to go. Niecy nods as her partner kisses her hand goodbye; they stop by coat check and disperse.

Walking down the street, Niecy is ecstatic. “Now THAT was a good time! Hosed a bitch, shook our ass, and some male attention. Mm! I’m set!” 

“Yeah, I’m surprised he isn’t walking you home.” you say deadpan.

Niecy clutches her pearls, “Madam! I am not that kind of girl. Not tonight anyway. He was a little young for me, so I don’t need someone that’s gonna fall in love, just wanting some good, clean fun.”

You guys walk a minute in silence before Niecy starts again, “Girl, what’s up with you? You were having a good time too, or I thought.”

You sigh, “I was, I did! But that guy got a little close with me today.”

Niecy stops you. “Did he pull some freaky shit? I know the owners, I can have him barred from that club, the damn city if I want!”

In an exasperated voice you say, “No, no. It’s more so….he almost got me caught up? Like, in a moment, girl.”

Niecy laughs, “Well shit, he was fine as hell, so that’s only natural. You may be taken, but you not dead, plus it’s not like you fucked him, relax.”

You nod to yourself as you guys make it back to the hotel lobby. You hug Niecy, “Thanks for everything tonight. You had my back and I had so much fun.”

“Anytime, girl. You gotta give me the scoop on that cum bucket tomorrow though. You rest up.”

Back at your room you kick off your shoes and clothes, opting to shower in the morning. Luckily tomorrow is a later session, 11 am so you can sleep in a little. Checking your phone you have a couple of messages from M’Baku. You forgot you were going to apologize and make amends, but you’re too tired and now that guy has you flustered, that certainly isn’t going to get brought up right now. “Sorry, long day. I’ll call you tomorrow. Good night.”

The next morning you roll over a crusty mess; makeup smeared, hair unkept, funky. You crawl to the bathroom, going straight for the shower releasing all your built up party remnants down the drain. Fresh faced you order room service and detangle your hair as you watch the news.  
When the food arrives you’re impressed by the spread: southwest style omelette, toast, fruit bowl, sausage links, OJ; making up for last night’s festivities, you were hungry as hell. Instinctively, you take a picture and hit send to M’Baku. Once you have your hair in a proper style, food done, dressed, you have more energy to go to today’s conference. Hopefully you get to see Niecy again. You send her a text wishing her luck before heading out. 

The conference is the same old, same old non relevance to you, wasting hours of your life. Break time comes through, but this time you’re more excited to run into Niecy. You stand to the side looking over the hoard around the table, but no sign of her yet. You think about it being M’Baku’s lunchtime too so this is a good time to call and catch up a little since it’s been about 24 hours since you heard his voice. You dial him up and the phone rings a while, before the line picks up.

“Hello?”

You don’t recognize this voice, “Hello?” you say back.

There’s pause, look at your screen and put the phone back to your ear, “Hello?”

“Yeah, sorry, ummm…” the female voice says, then you hear some shuffling sounds.

“We’ll do this soon, ok? Since she won’t be here for a couple more days.” You hear M’Baku in the background distantly and the call drops.

You look at your phone in horror as your heart beats in your ears.

“Hey girl! You rest easy?” Niecy pops up outta nowhere.

You look at her but not actually at her; more so through her.

Niecy’s face drops, as she grabs your arm, “Girl, what’s wrong, what happened?”

‘I think he’s cheating on me.”


	5. “It does not matter what it is!  It’s what it looks like that can be just as bad, if not worse.”

M’Baku drifts off binging some episodes of Rotten on Netflix before he realizes the time. You hadn’t gotten back in touch with him about what you wanted to talk about yet; so he texts you a couple other texts.  
Hey, are you still up?  
Followed up by a separate message, You want to talk still?  
M’Baku flips through some other options on his List before turning off the TV, getting up to look out his window, mug of tea in hand. The citrus awakens his nostrils as he stands thinking. First thought was that something went wrong with her conference, but what could really go wrong that you would text him and leave him on read for 4 hours later? He picks up his phone and texts Akoje real quick.  
**_M: Hey have you heard from (Y/N)? Waits for a response._**  
Akoje messages back, _I know I say I can take your woman whenever the mood hit me, I must confess there is no funny business between us._  
M’Baku rolls his eyes. ** _I haven’t heard from her in a some hours now. She texted that she need to talk but I haven’t heard from her since._**  
_A: You think she knows about ole girl?_  
M’Baku steams _, **I don’t know what you mean man. Keep that to yourself. My ACTUAL girl is AWOL right now**_  
_A: LOL I wish I could but her sights are set on you! Anyways, she probably is enjoying some time out or knocked out from all the work they have her doing. I wouldn’t worry until the morning, but call her if it bothers you fat man. Were going out tomorrow night, take your mind off things._  
Soon as he finished reading, a message from you pops up:  
_Y/N: “Sorry, long day. I’ll call you tomorrow. Good night.”_  
M’Baku stares at it, frustrated. Did you know what that did to him? Keeping him waiting all day only to respond with a short text dismissing all concerns until further notice? M’Baku shakes his head. At least you’re safe, but hearing your voice would’ve been the best thing for him right now. He puts his mug on the side table, splaying across the bed, looking up at the ceiling. He thinks about you, his day, and what tomorrow has in store; mind racing until unbeknownst to him, he drifts off to sleep.

Beep Beep Beep.  
M’Baku smacks his phone off the bedside table, still beeping. He groans into his pillow as he cranes stretches out his extremities. Another day, another dollar. M’Baku goes through his routine of showering, getting dressed. He had sometime though to make himself an omelette that he laid across some multi-grain bread to make a sandwich out of.  
M’Baku makes his way to work, feeling less than joyful. You didn’t call this morning at your usual wake up time. But M’Baku figured by the time you texted, it must’ve been a long day dealing with all those people doing Hanuman knows what.  
Making his way into Baerobics, Cheryl says good morning.  
“Hey Big Guy! How was your night?”  
“Pretty uneventful, actually. Haven’t felt up for much lately.” M’Baku say clocking in.  
“Well! Then my nephew’s graduation party will be a great escape for you!”  
M’Baku gives her a guilty look.  
Cheryl holds her hands out pointedly, “Bigs? What’s with the look?”  
“I may have to take a raincheck on helping with the party.” M’Baku says guiltily.  
“Ok, sure. I’ll just have the school reschedule the ceremony and it’ll be fine.” she says dramatically stacking some folders on her desk.  
“Cheryl, don’t be like that. My mother requested some quality time and I really don’t want to deny that.” M’Baku says.  
Cheryl waves her hand smiling, “Sure, sure. I’m just messing with you. Life happens, that’s one thing that comes very clear with age. Mama wouldn’t want to come?”  
“She kind of doesn’t care for new company that much, to be honest. Set in her ways and all of that.” He says delicately.  
“Sure, understandable. I thought I saw your friend earlier, but I don’t know if he’s still here. At any rate, your appointment is here early today. I let her know you were free so it’s up to you whether you’re up for seeing her now or later.”  
M’Baku nods heading up to his studio. “Got it, thanks!”  
M’Baku opens the door of the studio, music bumps as he enter. Inside, he sees Keni popping her ass to the beat of the latest Nicki Minaj track in the mirror. Doing a twirl, she catches your frame in her peripheral and caves with laughter. She reaches for her phone to pause.  
“Hey, sorry about that. I got a little bored and just used my bluetooth to pass some time.” she says flapping her oversized T-shirt for air.  
“It’s all right, you got a good warm up before we begin, eh?” He says.  
“Today’s a cardio heavy day right?” She says, banding her hair up.  
“Uh yes, that’s right.” He says turning on his office light, putting his bag down.  
She nods pulling down her track pants to get down to her booty athleisure shorts. “Do you mind helping me stretch a little though? I didn’t get into that before you got here.” T-shirt off to reveal her tried-and-true sports bra.  
M’Baku nods as he makes his way over to her. “So go ahead and sit, spread your legs apart and we’ll just fold forward to get the hamstrings warmed up.”  
M’Baku and Keni sit across from each other, legs spread feet to feet.  
“I’ll just match yours cuz my legs can go pretty far apart.” She laughs.  
“No problem. Take my hands and I’ll pull you forward.” M;Baku says professionally.  
She does, leaning forward until she is almost face first in the floor. She moans with relief.  
“Mmmmm, that feels good.”  
“Ok, and now pull me up and forward.” She straightens up pulling M’Baku in towards her.  
“Can’t go much further than that, I must confess.” M’Baku says.  
“Ohh, well the student might become the teacher then. That’s ok though, strength is more important in a man to me.”  
They run through the warm up for a couple rotations before M’Baku moves her on to arm stretches.  
“So, you have a good week so far?” Keni asks.  
M’Baku shrugs. “It’s alright. It’s been a little boring and a little much at the same time, if that’s possible.”  
She switches arms. “Sure, I get it. I just moved to this city a few months ago and it was a real difference to what I’m used to. Small town girl and all.”  
“Yeah, I’m from a whole other country than America, about five years here on and off, and I’m still getting used to things.”  
“Yeah? I wondered if that was an accent or you just talk hella proper.” she says flapping her arms loose.  
M’Baku chuckles, “No, no that’s just practice. I don't want to lose my accent though, so thank you for noticing. You ready for that treadmill?”  
“Yessir!” She says, dramatically saluting him. M’Baku set her to run about 2 miles at a slow but steady pace. As she ran, M’Baku coached her along the way. “Make sure to control your breathing with your stride. Keep your arms at an angle, tight against you.” Keni nods adjusting to instruction.  
“3-2-1 and Stop!” M’Baku barks.  
Keni steps to the sides of the treadmill as it slows to a halt, wiping her face and bosom to sweat.  
“Whoo! My God, you don’t care about stopping! Just go, go, go until my body broke!”  
M’Baku chuckles, “The sweat isn’t worth if you don’t finish, I tell you.”  
Moving on to weight training, M’Baku gets Keni into some squats with dumbbells.  
As she goes through a rep, Keni asks, “Hey, can I ask you a question?”  
“3! Shoot, just make sure you don’t lose your posture. 4!”  
“Trust, I got perfect posture. But, where you from anyway?”  
“5! Small village in Africa. Called Wakanda. I’m in a more northern part of it.”  
“Oh! Nice. I’d kill to visit the Motherland. So what made you come here?”  
“Rest!” M’Baku commands. She plops the bells down, hands on her hips as she breathes. “And watch throwing those down, I’ll give out demerits for damages.”  
Keni rolls her eyes, “My bad, Coach.”  
“But I moved here because I was convinced of more stuff being out in the world than what I knew in my village. That it’d be beneficial to experience other cultures than my own, to be more tolerant, to learn. So I came here and I’ve enjoyed it for the most part. The summers are killer though.”  
“Oh yeah, it’s the humidity that gets you. But that’s pretty dope. Do people talk to you a lot on the street? You kinda stick out with your size and all.” She says waving her hands over your body demonstratively.  
“Yeah, I guess so. But most don’t mess with me either, which is to their benefit.” he says, brushing his shoulder off.  
“Well I don't think you’re so bad, myself.” She says with an anxious twist of her hips.  
“Thank you. And you’re not so bad at your posture after all so let’s go again.”  
Once her work out was complete, M’Baku searches his bag for his phone.  
“Thanks again, Baku! You got me soaked yet again!”  
“Yeah, no problem!” He says mindlessly, too focused on looking for his phone.  
“Did you lose something?” she asks.  
“I don’t think I lost it yet, but I may have left my phone at home. I’m glad you got here early, cuz now I’ll have to go back and get it.”  
“Ok, you can walk me out then!”  
Making it outside, there is a policeman at the car righting a ticket.  
“Whoa whoa whoa! What is this!” M”Baku questions.  
“Funny thing about tags, they have to be up to date to drive.” The cop sneers. Looking up at M’Baku in defiance, he recognizes the cop from that yesterday morning.  
Handing him the ticket the cop says, “Have a good day son. Ma’am.” he nods to Keni.  
M’Baku looks it over, completely exasperated. He goes to unlock the car door and notices a boot on the wheel.  
“And what is this for?! How will I take care of the ticket if I can’t drive??”  
The cop turns back to M’Baku, “Son, that’s for you to figure out. Like you should’ve for updating your tags.”  
“Is this all the time you have on your hands? Targeting people for the smallest infractions while criminals roam the streets freely?” He says fuming, taking a step towards the cop.  
“Well if you’d like me to be proactive I could cuff you while I search your car and just see what comes up, how’s that?” the cop says with a smile.  
“You cannot do this, the nerve you have, the hatred you possess to be this cold and calculative!”  
“You haven’t felt cold yet son.” he says, placing a hand on his holster. M’Baku’s blood runs cold. Keni places a hand on M’Baku’s arm, “Baku, please. Come on.”  
“Now go on with your pretty lady and don't drag your feet on that ticket. The tow bill for your car adds up fast.” the cop laughs as he enters his car driving off.  
M’Baku yells in a rage, “Fuck it OH!” Leaning on his car, trying to calm down.  
Keni places a hand on his back, rubbing it gently, “I could give you a ride home to get your phone if you need.”  
M’Baku straightens up sullen faced, “No, I couldn’t ask you to do that. I’ll just order a Lyft….ugh, but I need my phone to do that.”  
“No, don’t spend your money. I owe you for the jump. Let me take you home. It’ll give you a chance to clear your head.”  
M’Baku agrees, heading for Keni’s vehicle.  
Most of the ride is silent. Keni twiddles her thumbs on the steering wheel until she breaks the ice. “I got a friend who works in traffic law. Maybe she could help you fight it? It’d be worth a shot anyway.”  
“Thanks. I honestly don’t know what can be done. The cop was right, I just didn’t make time to update them.”  
“He wasn’t right to threaten you with an illegal search. We may even be able to question his capability, you know? He almost pulled his gun on you, verbally threatened your life! And I’m a witness!”  
“I don’t need anymore trouble. I’ll just have to work this out. I’ll keep your contact in mind though, thanks.”  
Keni pulls up to M’Baku’s place. “Do you need me to wait and take you back?”  
“Nah, I think I’m going to cancel my other appointments today so I can look into getting that boot off my car.”  
M’Baku opens the door to get out. “Um, can I use your restroom really quick while I’m here? I don’t know if I can hold it til I get home”  
M’Baku nods, “Sure. Just don’t mind the mess. Like I said, it’s been a bit of a week.”  
M’Baku walks Keni up to the house, unlocking the door. M’Baku sees his phone right on the counter where he left it.  
“Ahh, there’s the sneaky bastard.” He picks it up, kissing it.  
“Oh cool! Look, mine is the same as yours.” Keni takes his and holds it up for comparison.  
“Ahh, great minds think alike!”  
Keni smiles proudly at the compliment. “I’m going to go change, so you just go do your thing, I’ll be right back down.” he says, going upstairs.  
Keni sets the phones back on the counter and goes to the guest restroom, checking herself in the mirror, taking a selfie or two. Curiosity gets to her as she opens the cabinet to check things out. Pretty empty, nothing personal, which is expected since it is the guest bathroom. Washing her hands, a ringtone from outside plays. Quickly Keni dries her hands and goes to get her phone.  
“Hello?”  
There’s a pause, “Hello?...HELLO??”  
Keni’s heart drops, “Yeah, umm...sorry.”  
M’Baku and another set of feet walk down the stairs, “We’ll do this soon, ok? Since she won’t be here for a couple more days.”  
Keni scrambles to end the call and put the phone back where she left it, grabbing her own, walking casually to the side.  
“Kuku, you have to keep the house in working order. Just because she is away does not mean you can just let things go to hell.” his mother balks at him.  
“Mama, you can’t just use your key whenever you want! Coming over unannounced, when you know I work!” M’Baku says.  
Keni stands there awkwardly as M’Baku and his mother come into the living room.  
“AND WHO IS THIS, HO!” his mother exclaims at the top of her lungs.  
Keni folds her arms, mouth agape, instantly offended.  
“Mama, please! This is a colleague of mine, she offered me a ride home.”  
“And what is wrong with your car?!” his mother stand under him with 7’0 worth of attitude.  
“It got booted and before you say anything, I have it under control!” M’Baku says.  
“You irresponsible mule! How could you let this happen! When can we go to lunch now??”  
“I’m handling, eh? We’ll still go out, like I said. It shouldn’t take me long to figure out, my friend has a connection that could speed things along.” M’Baku gestures toward Keni.  
M’Baku’s mother looks her over, “She looks like she keeps a full list of connections at her service.”  
“Uhh, I’m going to go now! Sorry to disrespect, but M’Baku, I’ll see you later. Thanks again.”  
“No thank you. I’ll call you ok?”  
“And good riddance!” his mother calls after her.  
M’Baku follows her to the door, “Please forgive her. You’ve been nothing but kind.”  
“It’s fine. It’s just not everyday, someone’s mom calls me a ho, so…”  
“No no! That’s just her accent; she’ll end sentences with an inflection that may sound like that.” M’Baku explains.  
Keni squints in thought. “Mmm, but then she accused me of having a black book, but it’s ok! I’ll see you.” Keni practically jogs to her car.  
Turning back inside M’Baku says, “And mama, I appreciate your hospitality, my place looks much better, but next time you’re bored, please call. I will see you later, yeah?”  
His mother kisses him before pulling his ear, “And I told you to watch these girls. You’re too nice, like your father. I barely tolerate the one you’ve committed to but I won’t take a rolling stone for a son!”  
“Mama…”  
“It does not matter what it is! It’s what it looks like that can be just as bad, if not worse.” And with that, she is out the door.  
M’Baku closes the front door taking a breath. He had to call you about his mother being here, you wouldn’t believe it. He calls you; it rings a couple times before picking up.  
“M’Baku?”  
“Yeah, hello love, you forget about me?”  
“Oh, no, who could? Did you forget me?” You say, voice quivering.  
“No, never. What’s wrong?”  
You clear your throat, “Nah, it’s all good. You got company, I’ll talk to you later.”  
M’Baku is confused, “How did you know I had any company?”  
You laugh, “Why didn’t you tell me your had any?! But let me fall back, you showed me not to question who you drag up in our damn house, so let me think of YOUR feelings and not ask who the FUCK was the BITCH that picked up your FUCKING PHONE!”  
M’Baku was shook, “Who are you screamin-”  
“FUCK OFF!” The call disconnects.  
M’Baku looks at his phone flabbergasted. How did you know he had someone over? Did his mom call you?  
M’Baku tries to call back but it goes straight to voicemail.  
A message pops up on his phone from you.  
_“You ain’t shit, never been shit. Take yo dirty dickhead self on somewhere and quit blowin up my phone!”_  
M’Baku can’t wrap his head around your outburst. No way in hell you knew about Keni, unless his boys pulled a wack ass trick.  
He pulls up Akoje’s contact, calling him up.  
“Wassup, fat ass!” Akoje greets him.  
“Hey man, you know the girl from the gym right?”  
“Ahh, that thoroughbred with the impressive towing capacity . What about her?” Akoje asks.  
“You tell (Y/N) about her?”  
“HELL NO! Since when have you known me to be a snitch, eh?”  
“Akoje, there is nothing to snitch about oh!!” M’Baku yells into the phone.  
“Aye, M’Baku, what’s gotten into you, man?”  
M’Baku sighs, “A lot comrade, a lot. My girl is pissed at me, accusing me of being with someone else.”  
“How did she know- I mean not like there’s anything to know, but-” Akoje hesitates.  
“I don’t know what’s gotten into her, but she really bit my head off. She won’t pick up my calls.”  
“You definitely need to let her chill until either tomorrow or when she gets back. She won’t hear a damn thing from you when she can’t see you, eh? She won’t listen for sincerity, so let her chill.”  
M’Baku nods, “You’re probably right. I just can’t believe all the shit I been through today.”  
“Hey, let’s go out, have a drink, listen to some good sounds, get some good vibes around us eh? Get yourself ready tonight.”  
“Yeah if you can give me a ride.” M'Baku says solemnly.  
“You don’t have a ride, my guy?? Oh, for Hanuman’s sake!”


	6. "...Y’all want communication but here you go doing the opposite."

You start to walk, fast and hard.  
“Wait, (Y/N)! What did you say! What are you talking about!” Niecy calls after you, jogging to keep up.  
You push open the exit door to a vacant hallway and raise your hands above your head to keep yourself from fainting out of breath. Niecy comes in after you.  
“(Y/N) talk to me, what happened?” Niecy comes behind you to tap your shoulder.  
“No! Niecy, please, I don’t want to do this right now!” You exclaim, tears starting to fall.  
“Oh honey, please. I want to help you. I can’t leave you looking like this.”  
You lean against the wall, sliding down the cold glossy paint, sitting on the floor.  
Niecy takes the opposite wall in front of you to sit. “I’ll stay here as long as you need to get your emotions out.”  
You look down the hall away from Niecy, tears keep coming though you’re stone faced. Your heartbeat feels weak as the call keeps playing over and over in your head. He said he was doing something with her while you would be gone. What excuse could he have for that?  
You swallow hard to clear your voice, trying to control the trembling.  
“He….had another girl…” you say.  
“What do you mean? How do you know?” Niecy asks softly.  
“....pick up the phone…” you say.  
Niecy asks, “A girl answered?” You nod. “Ok, uh, you sure it wasn’t family?”  
You chuckle at the question, “None of his family is that soft spoken.”  
Niecy sighs, “Ok, did she say anything?”  
“I think she apologized? Playing dumb maybe?” you say trying to remember. Your phone rings as M’Baku’s name appears on your screen. You swipe to decline it, picking it up to send him a cease and desist message.  
“Is he calling back?” You nod. “You need to pick up! Talk to him so you can get his story of what the hell is going on!”  
You stop typing to think on this. “There’s nothing to say right now, man. I don’t need to be the bigger person here! I’m away and he has bitches picking up his gotdamn phone!” Your voice fills the hallway like it was God’s. You catch emotion in your throat again as your eyes well over again. Covering your mouth to choke back your sobs, your phone starts to ring again. You feel nauseous at the thought of talking to him now, but you close your eyes, take a deep breath and answer the call.  
“M’Baku?” You say.  
“Yeah, hello love, you forget about me?” he sounds disgustingly chipper.  
“Oh, no, who could? Did you forget me?” You say, wiping a stray tear away, voice quivering.  
“No, never. What’s wrong?” he can tell you’re upset. Anyone could tell at this point.  
You clear your throat chuckling to sound light, “Nah, it’s all good. You got company, I’ll talk to you later.”  
“How did you know I had any company?” He asks suspiciously. There he goes questioning you instead of explaining himself.  
You laugh at his question, anger builds up as you think about what secrets he is hiding, “Why didn’t you tell me your had any?! But let me fall back, you showed me not to question who you drag up in our damn house, so let me think of YOUR feelings and not ask who the FUCK was the BITCH that picked up your FUCKING PHONE!” The echo of the hallway gives your fury extra hellfire.  
M’Baku starts on you, “Who are you screamin-”  
“FUCK OFF!” you bellow, tossing your phone to the side.  
Niecy looks at you wide eyed without a word.  
You feel an avalanche of grief come over you as you hug your knees, ugly crying it out. Every time your phone rings you jump, feeling him near and wanting to be so far away. You text him a message to leave you alone and the calls finally cease. You calm yourself too as you feel your breakfast starting to work up and the heat in your face starts up some sweat to make for the epitome of a salty mix.  
“Hun, did you see any of this coming before now?” Niecy asks.  
You speaky between gasps. “I told him...about training….instagram hoes….now look,”  
“Ah, right, he is a personal trainer? So does he play dumb with you or try to reason with you about who he trains?”  
“He just tells me…..no one compares,” your puffy eyes well up again, “That it’s just business and he only loves me.”  
“Oh come on, now. It’s gonna be alright. Don’t upset yourself more.”  
You go on, upset, “He said he loved this fat ass, and now look at this shit! I’m so fucking tired or lies and secrets and bullshit from him.”  
“Has he lied to you about things before? Been unfaithful before?”  
“I never suspected him. I just watch people he interacts with. His friends are all playboys, he works with a lotta models, he gets hit on incessantly and right in front of me!” You say, feeling sicker by the moment. He had so many damn opportunities. “I just don’t know what I should do.”  
Niecy nods, “Ok. Now I don’t know him from Adam right? So I won’t give a definitive ‘toot it or boot it’. But I know you gushed about this guy earlier so much, I know he is a great catch.”  
You sit playing with your nails.  
Niecy continues, “And you talked to me about how you demand a lot of him to a fault. You are quick to judge and bite, slow to communicate in a careful manner? So, just remember the good he has, who he is and dissect the truth with that. And mind you, you haven’t heard his full side of the story yet so, this space is probably the best time for something like this to pop up cuz you have time to cool off.”  
You think over what Niecy had to say. M’Baku has been one in a million to you. He praises you for your looks, personality, and credits you for his drive and maturity. Plus he never lets up on piping you down so you honestly couldn’t see him having the stamina to pass it around elsewhere. You still couldn’t bring yourself to call him back due to timing and pride.  
You say with a drag, “Yeaaaah, I see you, Niecy, I just can’t do this now though, I’ll deal with it when I get back home. I am spent emotionally and physically and I have nothing kind to think about saying right now.”  
“And when you have nothing nice to say, don't say nothing at all! Plus you could dig a deeper hole for yourselves,” Niecy says.  
You point at her, “Bingo!” You get up swiping any dust off your behind. “Thanks for listening. God, you are the best thing to happen to me on this trip.”  
Niecy smiles, “Oh girl, you puttin up with me is the blessing. I’m just trash with a little professional leverage. But you are a great person and friend.”  
You all hug as a door opens to the hallway and a loud mouth person is talking on the phone.  
“Uh-huh, no I got that cleared up at the clinic real quick so I’m telling you, that one ain’t one of the bad ones.”  
You and Niecy break from your hug and look up to see Shay, whose laugh fills the hall around you like Wicked Witch of the East.  
“Oh, I gotta call you back. So y’all up in here huh? Are y’all janitorial? Cafeteria? Cuz I'm getting you fired today.”  
You step to Shay, “Fuck outta here. The we are participants in the conference apparently just like your raggedy ass.”  
Niecy grabs your arm, “Shay is it? What region do you work in?”  
“Eastern bitch. Crackneck County to be exact and your Dexter’s Lab looking ass is the FIRST to be mine for fucking up my hair with that water you sprayed.” Shay says venomously.  
Shay smiles unphased, “Well what won’t go over well is if I, an HR exec, reports of an employee targeting another employee with homophobic epithets.”  
Shay screws her face up, “W-what did you s-”  
Niecy steps up to her. What she lacked in stature, she made up for in attitude and power. “I said what I said. The disgusting language you used to describe me and my friend based on your prejudice assumptions were shameful and threatening. So, it’s your word against mine and thank God I have truth on my side. And if you want to keep harassing (Y/N)” she says pointing back at you. “....all she has to do is say a word and your ass is better count on a plan B for employment, understand?”  
Shay looks down at Niecy, fuming but calming down for her own sake. “Ok then.” Shay looks at you and says with a neck roll, “We good, then.”  
You stomp towards her, Niecy promptly cutting you off. “You take your ass on, you dirty ass, Maury guest lookin, cousin fucker ass bitch!”  
Shay’s mouth goes agape before she huffs and walks on out.  
“Getchu some new dick in ya life witcho salty unsatisfied broken pussy havin hoe!” you yell after her at the very to of your lungs. Your heartbeat reaches your forehead as you are filled with anger.  
Niecy rubs your back, “Ok, ok. I couldn’t protect you from an assault charge but you gave her a good tongue lashing. That was good.”  
You heave, breath heavy from the spew of insults you delve out. The heaves turned into sobs once again as you cover your mouth to suffocate the feelings of rejection, pain, mistrust that fell heavy on your mind. You didn’t know what M’Baku was into, but the way he made you feel at this moment was something you couldn’t take and the thought of seeing him for the first time ever filled you’re with dread.  
The rest of the conference day is a blur. You got through it in a haze; your body on autopilot as your mind ran wild. Mostly of him being in bed with another woman, you and his bed. He smiles lovingly in the face of someone more beautiful, capable of appreciating all of him. You did love him, so damn much. But not all relationships last forever and maybe this was just a ‘lesson learned’ one.  
You go back to your room jaded and exhausted. Kicking your shoes off you fall to our bed. You feel thirsty, dehydrated from the lack of fluids replacing your tears but you found the suffering to be of comfort, succumbing to the gloom. Your phone vibrates once: a text came in. Your heartbeat picks up on cue. Your state of sulking would not allow your heart to open up for apologies, explanations, or at worse: blame. You don’t want to look at it, but the curiosity was too much to bear. You didn’t want to spark a read receipt so you check who it is. A wave of relief falls over you as you see Niecy’s name flash across the screen.  
_Hey girl. I’m finished for the day, so I could use a drink and I think you could too. Meet me at the hotel bar?_  
Drinking definitely fit your depressive state right now so you were eager. **_Sure, just let me get a nap in and I’ll see you around 9._**  
You turn over closing your eyes, red and puffy from the days events. You sigh deeply but your lungs feel congested. You have an ache in your shoulders from hunching over. You feel hollow more than human, taking on all of your sorrow inside with little relief inside. That drink couldn’t come soon enough.  
You wake up hours later. Stretching makes your joints crack uncomfortably and your feel more exhausted than when you went down. Every bit of you wanted to cancel on Niecy but you needed a drink and a good time to get your mind off of things. You get up slowly and walk to the sink in the bathroom. Taking a paper cup, you fill it with water and drink it hastiy. You feel it absorb into your tired body, energy picking up within you. Looking in the mirror, you spray a leave in to awaken your curls, clean your face to add a little makeup for a natural look. Staring at yourself you look over your features, loving every blemish, crease, melanated hue that covers your face. You grow defiant at how stupid someone could be to choose someone else over you, sneaking around on THIS for what? Throwing away three years with this good good on demand for some second hand snatch? No. Digging through your clothes, you decide tonight you’re dressing to the nines. You wanna nothing but a penile standing ovation when you walk into the room. Putting your best assets on display, if M’Baku wasn’t going to enjoy this, someone will.  
You make it to the lobby seeing Niecy sitting there chatting up the bartender as they were ld pals by now. The bartender must’ve signaled your arrival as Niecy turned to see you, jaw dropping.  
“Girl! Did you visit the House of Heaux Couture before getting here?? Where did this dress come from?” she says shooketh.  
You sit down, looking unphased. “I don’t even know why I packed this but I needed it now.” You ask the bartender for a drink.  
Niecy nods as she knocks back another sip of her drink. “Ahh, so this is the revenge dress. Ok girl, I see you! So does that mean you’re-”  
You cut her off, “It means I am not worried about nothing but a good time tonight.” The bartender slides your drink to you. “Here’s to loving life, looking good, and bitches staying out of my damn way.” You and Niecy clink glasses  
A couple doubles in, you start slurring you appreciation to Niecy. “Girl. I have gotta say, you are the baddest bitch I ever met. I hope you don’t mind me calling you a bitch.”  
Niecy leans on her hand looking at you, “Mm-mm. We reclaimed bitch, bitch. Don’t even worry.”  
You nod vigorously, “I have sooooo much respeck for ya. I can’t wait to grow up and be you someday.”  
Niecy caps a hand on your knee, “No, you can be so much better than me.”  
“No I can’t.”  
Niecy shakes her head, “Nah, nah, none of that. You have an ass load of potential in you. I can see that drive, the gumption to get shit done. You just have to make that energy into something you really care about.”  
You look at your drink sullen faced. “I used to care about a lot but then it goes and fucks an Instagram bitch. And I mean bitch in the traditional way.”  
Niecy points at you, “Ah yes, the female dog. Attracting all the non-neutered dogs and shotgunning there kids in right and left.”  
You face goes long, “Oh God, what if she’s pregnant?”  
Niecy chokes, “What??”  
“The girl he fucking around with. What if he got her pregnant? That’s why he comfortable having her in my house. If he’s having her baby, he definitely through with me.” You say as you take down your drink at the thought. The once smooth drink, felt like shards going down.  
“Ok, we’re done here.” Niecy slaps some money on the bar. “Smitty, my man! Always a pleasure.”  
“It’s Joseph, ma’am.” The bartender says.  
“Well give that tip to Smitty then, he was more fun. But WE are going to the club to dance this out. No more conspiracy theories, relationship talk, none of that.” Niecy says, dragging your arm to pull you off your stool.  
The club was hopping today as the playlist had some Megan thee Stallion on rotation. Turned into exactly what you needed as the lyrics of taking niggas and fucking up bitches fit your current mindset of not giving a fuck. Niecy hyped you up as you confidently dropped some impromptu choreography as you mouthed the words in your personal one woman show. As the song ends, some KOD by J. Cole begins to bump. You start to feel it but before you can get into it, the crowd begins to move. You and Niecy look around the people as you see why space is being made. You feel the ground bump before you see them. Some guys are stepping in the middle of the floor, using the dancefloor like its a probate. They move their shoulders and hips with such fluidity before switching it up to some hard hitting stomps, jerking their bodies in coordination with strength and grace. One of the men catch your eye as the gu you dance with the night before. His locs flop on top of his head, gold flashing as he growls on cue with his brothers. You point this out to Niecy who nods knowingly. The song ends and the crowd erupts at their showmanship. As the crowd congregates again, Niecy pulls you to her.  
“So, you tryna go and talk to him or what?”  
“Him? Uhhh…”  
Niecy waves, jumping and shouting to get his attention. Your liquid courage drains as you sober up at the thought of him noticing you. You make your way to the bar before she succeeds. Requesting a drink from the bartender was hellish compared to the hotel bar. So many people gone out there mind, crowding the bar with their nonsense.  
“Whatchu drinkin?” a voice asks.  
You look and see the guy from earlier. Dammit, Niecy.  
“Hey, uh I would love to get a rum and coke but that’s not happening any time soon from the looks of things.” You say patting the bar impatiently.  
He looks down the bar, “Yeah, it looks that way. You really want that drink?”  
You look at him suspiciously, “I mean I want one, but I don’t need it that bad.”  
He scratches his beard looking at you cooly, “I can get you something, but you just gotta trust me a little bit.”  
You scoff at his suggestion.  
He smiles licking his lips. “If you can trust a complete stranger to get you a drink at a bar, I promise it’ll be good.”  
You smile shaking your head. What would you be getting into if you said yes.  
You shrug, “Aight.”  
He raises his eyebrows, “For real?”  
You nod, “Mhm.”  
“Ok, when I put you on this bar, I need you to show out.”  
You look at him skeptical, “What?”  
“One, two, three.” He grabs you up to sit you in the bar. On cue you get up and strut across the bar. Trina was playing and luckily you could act up to the song properly as Killin You Hoes blasted and the crowd cheered at your performance. You gave the full gambit: pointing at the crowd, touching hands, dropping it low as you click clacked across the soaked wood. The bartender was yelling at you to get down and you look for your guy. He was a few feet ahead of you, waving for you to come down. You go over to him reaching out as he lifts you down.  
“Ok, come on!” He takes your hand and leads you through the hoards of people and out the club.  
You trot behind him until y’all find a quiet corner with a bus stop bench. You plop down to catch your breath and rest your feet.  
“Oh my God. What the fuck was that about? I thought you were getting the drink.”  
He reaches into his pants to pull out a half bottle of white rum.  
“You stole?!” You exclaim.  
He chuckles,”Nah princess. This here is reparations.” He twists the top off and takes a swig, passing it off to you.  
You take it, wiping the mouth off with the hem of your dress before drinking. The liquid warms your gut as you fill it.  
“Woo, girl. Taking it to the head. Here, give me that back.” He takes it and sets it under the bench. “So nobody pulls over questioning us.”  
You nod feeling the cloudy drunkenness taking over. “Ahh, you smart.”  
He leans back with an arm over the bench. “I know. So what’s your story?”  
You squint at him, “What you talkin bout, Willis?” You pull your heels off, rubbing the soles of your feet, making you groan with relief. He sees you do this and takes one foot on your lap.  
“Hey hey! Ask me before you do some shit like that. Bout to display my whole crotch to the damn city.  
He’s rubbing your foot unbothered. “Well shiet, my bad.” He smirks at you, “What’s a pretty thing like you up in the club doing bar dances for drinks for? You got a day gig?”  
You cover your face ugly laughing, “First of all, that was your damn idea. Second, I do, but that’s none of your concern.”  
“You got a man though, right?” He asks.  
You scoff, “Yeeup.”  
“You don’t sound happy bout it though.” he says massaging your other foot.  
You moan at the new sensation, fresh blood working through your feet. “Yeah, well I ain’t been happy right now. I think he cheated on me.”  
“Oh shit! You catch him or he tell you?”  
“Caught him. Not in an act but a girl picked up the phone.” you say scratching your scalp.  
“You sure it wasn’t a cousin or somethin?”  
“No, I know it wasn’t. He didn’t say who it was but that’s enough for me.”  
“It is?” he asks.  
You snatch your feet from him adjusting your dress down. “Yeah, it is. He shouldn’t have a girl in my house without explanation.”  
He leans back nodding thoughtfully. “I agree. But you have no explanation from him yet?”  
You shake your head. “So he ain’t answering your calls?”  
“I’m not answering his.”  
He cocks his head to the side in thought, “Females always be like, ‘he never talk to me’ and shit. Y’all want communication but here you go doing the opposite.” he says smirking and pointing at you.  
“Well your lesson for today is not all women are alike. I don’t need to reach to him, he can do that. He is wrong.”  
He nods, “If he cheatin, I agree. You are the baddest woman I’ve seen in a while and if you didn’t have a man, I’d be pulling out all the stops to get you.”  
“Like the foot rubbing?” you ask.  
He guffaws, “Uh yeah, that’s a sure thing too. Felt good right?” He says pushing your shoulder gently.  
You look at him intently. “It really did. This is probably the best interaction I’ve had all week, with a guy. And looking as good as you? Nigga!” You say throwing your hands up.  
“Well you just tell me when you want me gone, and I’m out. But you’re getting a happy ending tonight, no doubt.”  
You giggle, “You’d like that huh?”  
“He stares at you, leaning in, “I really would though.”  
You feel something you haven’t felt in what seemed like an eternity. Something reserved for M’Baku, only achieved by him. But here you are, in heat with someone else.  
“Pass me that bottle then.” you say.  
The next morning you wake up in a daze in your hotel room. The sun's rays blind you as they seep in greeting you. You sit up as the sheets wrap around your bare skin, cool and calming. A note is on the pillow next to you. You pick it up and read:  
_Thanks for the good time last night._ A phone number followed.  
Your heart dropped as you thought over last night. Bar, club, and then that guy. _Oh shit_ , you thought as you looked at your nakedness underneath the covers.


	7. "I hope I can still call you mine..."

M’Baku kept replaying the scenario over and over in his head.  He came in and went upstairs while Keni went to the restroom. Then he sees a woman sorting his clothes in his drawer -- that woman being his own mother.  After he shoos her down the stairs and gets her to leave, you call him and say to ask who he has at his house. M’Baku couldn’t get past it, it didn’t make sense that you knew a woman was in the house that quickly.  M’Baku knew you were a force to be reckoned with investigatively, but this was practically impossible. 

M’Baku makes a call to Keni’s legal friend to get some assistance on the boot on his car.  Luckily they could see him tomorrow to get the situation corrected, so that was one less thing that he would  have to think about. The rest of the night was open to him to do whatever he needed before going out tonight.  Akoje and the other Jabari could party for any reason: breakups, getting laid, new job, leaving a bad one, clinic test was negative, just about anything would have a glass raised to.

But, M’Baku couldn’t stop thinking about you.   As he sat in his newly cleaned living room thanks to Mama, his heart was not in for a jovial get-together.  He flips through the TV channels without actually paying attention to the images flashing before him. His arm rests across the back of the couch, rubbing the material subconsciously.  You have been mad at him before, but this sounded different. You usually lay out everything M’Baku did wrong before giving a silent treatment to make him feel bad and grovel in apologies.  But you never accused M’Baku of Infidelity before. Even women walking down the street ogling him outright just made you hold him a little tighter and kiss him or do something to really give them something to stare at.

Now, M’Baku has heard at least ten thousand times how much you hate to know of him working with beautiful women; stretching them, squatting, touching them for any reason.  But M’Baku reassured the relationship was secure everytime you fussed. The paycheck was great, he is doing something he enjoys, and comes home to you on time, every night.  

M’Baku’s heart deflates as he stares at his phone.  He was mad initially at your tone but that quickly dissipated when he rewound the hurt in your voice over and over in his head.  This can’t be happening.

Later that night, M’Baku rechecks himself in the mirror.  A white collared button down shirt, tucked into some black high-water type slacks and some brown oxfords; it took little to no effort for him to look good in clothes.  Adding accessories of a watch and gold chain you gave him for you guys’ second anniversary, it was about time to head out. M’Baku pours out a drink to the halfway portion of his glass with brown liquor on ice before heading to the balcony.  Leaning on the rail he sips slow staring at the city lights scattered across the city. How many nights did he do this same thing before you would rub his back and whisper something that would always get him to come to bed on command. He missed you terrible as he downed his drink a little faster;  this was his fifth glass, and being a big guy, the alcohol was not hitting his system as quickly as his emotions were. A honk comes from downstairs and he sees Akoje waving from his Navigator. 

“Oh, Lonely Ape-Man, let down your hair!  We have come to rescue you from your strife!”

M’Baku raises his empty glass to his Jabari, “Good Evening,  _ enyi _ !”

The doors open and out pops Enache and Ogoro.  “GREAT GORILLA KING!!” They say in unison. M’Baku laughs heartily for the first time in what felt like months.  The alcohol might be starting to circulate, but he was far from where he wanted to be. 

Riding down to the club, M’Baku and crew shout and hop in their seats as their jams blasted on full.

“Aye. M’Baku!  It is about time we finally got you outta the house man.  Your house arrest bracelet just die on you, or something?”  Enache howls at himself as the other join.

Akoje looks back at Enache in the rearview as he drives, “Nah, That’s not it at all.  Our man is having troubles at home, needs us to take his mind off of things.” Akoje claps a hand on M’Baku’s shoulder, who feels a little embarrassed as soon as he hears it.

“Ohhh, Kukie!  How do you have problems without a woman in the house?  Isn’t that when it is supposed to be more peaceful?” Ogoro asks.

M’Baku cranes his neck to reply, “Has your life been peaceful since you have been an adult?  Because I cannot recall the last time a woman shared a space with you in a intimate setting.”

The guys laugh at Ogoro, fueled by M’Baku’s burn.  

“Ahhh, Baku, you’re not right for that!  I am selective about the queen I choose.”  Ogoro explains.

“Selections are not bad to have, but why must they be so….thin!  You want women who have no calorie intake and burn it off just as fast.  Grab a stick outside to rub, it’d be perfect.” Akoje chimes in. 

Enache claps his hands with joy, “OH, yes.  That is foul,  _ enyi _ , but accurate.  Brother, if you can’t handle the curves of a voluptuous partner, at least get someone who is concentrated in one area...or another.”  He mimes his hands in front of his chest, and brings one hand down in a motion to shape a booty cheek.

Akoje offers his hand for a high five from Enache, “That’s it!  Ogoro, you and M’Baku, I can’t get past how you are with women.”

“What’s wrong with me?  My woman has...EVERYTHING I could ask for; mind and body.”

“See?  That alone is a problem.  You said mind first!”

“I can’t stand the empty headed women your circulate, Akoje.  They can’t even talk about the weather properly.” M’Baku hisses.

“It does not matter.  I’m not looking for conversation, I’m looking some eye candy, that is down for a good time.”

M’Baku shakes his head, “And how these American women fall for it over and over, is beyond me.”

Akoje smiles, sitting up a bit straighter, “See, I put my accent on a little bit thicker than usual, eh?  Then I just tell them that they would be a queen back where I’m from, your feet would never touch the ground, etc.  Make them feel like commitment is no problem for you.”

“HAHAHA!  That is the punchline.”  M’Baku guffaws.

“I am committed Kukie.  Pleasure is always a commitment and I have no complaints from anybody!”

They make it to the club which appears to be at its prime at the moment.  Everybody is lining up, chatting with their friends to make sure they have their fit straight, makeup on point, everything did.

Scoping the crowd, Akoje rubs his hands together Birdman style, “Gentlemen, follow me, I got an in with the bouncer.”  M’Baku and the the others bark in excitement as they walk up to the front of the line. Akoje signals for them to fall back a bit while he talks to the bouncer.  

M’Baku starts to get suspicious when he notices the bouncers stance and expression has not changed since before Akoje started talking to him.

“Ahh!  Akoje doesn’t know him!  The club will be closing up by the time we make it through the line.”  Ogoro complains.

Enache shoves him, “Enough of that!  He said he had us, he’s got us. Have you-”

Ogoro interrupts, “If you end that sentence with, ‘Have you ever known him to lie to us’ after the endless examples he has of doing such, Hanuman help me, my foot will be going up your-”

“Jabari!  We have gained entrance!  Come!” Akoje announce waving them through as he steps into the club.

Enache leads the party to the bouncer.  Attempting to pass him, the man stiff arms him.

“Aight, 30 a pop.”

“$30???  We know Akoje though, he said he had us!”  M’Baku perks up.

The meat headed bounce slowly shakes his head,  “Akoje gets in free, he didn’t mention friends before now.”

“You have got to be kidding me,”  Ogoro exasperates.

“Hey, if you don’t like it, just go somewhere else, or wait in line like all these other waitin ass muthafuckas.  $30, or walk.”

They grumble as they dig in their wallets and line up to pay the man. 

“Man, I’m only going to be able to get a water after that mess.”  Ogoro moans.

M’Baku, claps him on the shoulder, “I need a drinking partner.  We will cover you, Brother, no problem.” 

M’Baku looks expectantly at Enache who is on his phone.  “Akoje said he is by a reserved spot...by the right side.  Can’t miss it, he said.”

Walking through the area, Akoje is double fisting some bottles, cigar in his mouth.

“Eh!  You can’t smoke inside, man!”  Ogoro exclaims.

Akoje cocks his head to the side, taking it from his mouth, still holding the bottles.  “It’s not lit, mother! Please, be the first to grab a glass because you certainly need it, sir.”  Enache passes the tumblers around as Akoje fills them up like he’s Diddy. 

Akoje bellows, “Raise our glasses gentlemen!  To life, to lust, to liquor. May it all find us tonight!”  The men bark as they chug their drinks. M’Baku chugs his, screwing his face up as the brown warns his throat.  It wasn’t the alcohol bothering him though, but Akoje’s toast. Lust was the last thing on his mind as far as debauchery, since you weren’t here and especially since you were mad.

The night powers on as the jams circulate, moving the crowd.  The Jabari became almost the life of the party as they sang along hyping the crowd, dancing with women.  M’Baku watched from a far but laughed his ass off at the guys getting lit, especially Ogoro’s wet blanket self.  Enough liquor had finally hit him to put caution to the wind.

Akoje comes up to M’Baku holding his phone to his ear, “I’ll be back, Fat Man, in case the others wonder.”  M’Baku nods as Akoje swiftly maneuvers the crowd toward the entrance,

M’Baku leans back in the curved couch, head resting as the alcohol courses through him.  He feels tingles in in his extremities, a sign the limit is about to hit, but the night was still far from over.  

M’Baku feels a couple slaps on the side of his face.  Raising his head, M’Baku squints through his heavy lids to see a grinning Akoje.   “Hey man, look who showed up to keep us company.”

Looking behind him, he sees a woman walking up the steps to their couch.

“Who the hell is that?”  M’Baku slurs as he sits up studying her as she switched toward you.  Smiling, she flips her wavy tresses behind her shoulder, standing with her hip poked out.  The bodycon dress hugged any and every curve her body had to show; titties gathered and presented at full mast.  Licking her lips she turns to Akoje.

“Thank you for inviting me to come out with you guys,”  she says. M’Baku gets caught up in her frame, sobers up a bit quicker than expected.  

“No problem, love.  The party is just getting good too.  Go ahead and pour yourself a glass.” Akoje sits by M’Baku, slapping his knee.  “She cleans up well, yeah? No surprise with a body like that though.”

She bends over to pour her into her glass on the table, giving the guys a full view of her behind.

M’Baku leans over to Akoje talking sideways, “Why does that ass seem familiar to me, ‘Je?”  

Akoje busts out laughing, “Oh man, you really have had too much to drink.  That’s your girl!”

M’Baku shakes his head, pinching the bridge of his nose.  “Here man, drink this. You must be losing your buzz. We don’t need no headaches tonight.”

M’Baku takes Akoje’s glass and downs the contents.  M’Baku winces at the heat that hits his chest, beating it with his fist.  

Their additional party member sits next to M’Baku resting a hand on his knee firmly with a rub.  “You glad to see me?” she whispers in his ear.

M’Baku leans back to look at her.  At this point he has drank so much that an aura halo has formed around her silhouette making it hard to distinctly focus on her features.  

“I...don’t know.” M’Baku turns back to Akoje.  “That is not, (Y/N), what are you talking about?”  Akoje rolls his eyes, “You really are going insane, eh?  Talk to her!” Akoje says grabbing the top of M’Baku’s head and rotating it towards the girl.

“You don’t recognize me?  Shit, I tried dressing up too damn nice then, I guess.”  She looks down at herself, running her hand down her torso.  M’Baku’s eyes follow, balling his hand up in a fist to keep it from wandering.

She laughs, pushing his arm as she takes a long gulp of her drink.  The music changes, making her rock and snap with the beat.

“Ohhhh, shit!  Mk, DJ givin me my shit tonight!”  She stands up swaying her hips to the music.  “Ok, Baku. Let’s see if this sparks your memory.”  Body rolling she goes into a running man dance, titties hopping and dangerously close to spilling out.  Next she drops and gets her eagle on, squatting and popping her ass towards M’Baku. 

Akoje stands to hype her up, “Aye! Aye!  Go on, girl! Handle that, Kukie!” Laughing his ass off as he makes his way back down to the dance floor.  

“Wait, wait, Keni!  What are you doing-”  M’Baku starts to speak but Keni’s body comes hurdling backwards toward him as she loses her balance, falling into his lap.  M’Baku catches her, gripping her waist as she laughs, catching her breath, “Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry M’Baku! At least you remember me now; I knew that would jog your memory.”  Keni twists to look into his face, flipping her hair back. She bites her lips as she stares at M’Baku, completely in heat for him. M’Baku is still trying to hold his liquor consumption properly to stave off her advances,

M’Baku attempts sitting up, “Ah, Keni, I need to-”

“You aren’t going, are you?  The night just begun baby!” She says caressing his beard greedily.

“I’m just going to the bathroom, please.  Sit and enjoy yourself. My friends would really like your company I think.”  M’Baku lifts her up off of him as he goes towards the back of the club. 

Once he makes it by the restrooms, he pulls out his phone to check his notifications.  Emails, reminders, news, but no you. M’Baku heaves a deep breath, holding it in as he raises his arms above his head.  All he wanted to do was bash the walls in, but instead he lets go of his breath, leaning his fists and head on the bricks.  He couldn’t imagine what you were doing right now. Were you hurting? You were in a city with no one you knew, who could comfort you right now?  He couldn’t wait for you to come home. Things will be better when you get back to town, he knew it; y’all could hash out all of what did and didn’t happen.

A hand snakes his shoulder; turning, Keni is leaning with her shoes in her hands.  “You left me by myself. I couldn’t find you.”

M’Baku looks at her concerned, “You’re drunk already?”

Keni puts a finger to her lips, “Shooosh.  I know it’s not in the diet plan but it’s CHEAT DAY!”  She exclaims raising her hands in the air before, falling onto M’Baku with her hands around his neck.  “You know cheating ain’t so bad. Long as you honest with yourself, and really enjoy it…” Keni slurs, poking her lips out at M’Baku, who swiftly pushes her face back with his palm.  

“I have a whole woman that I claim, already Keni.  You’re doing too much, you need to go home.”

She smiles, standing awkwardly, “YOU need to take ME home with YOU!”  She points back and forth between you, offbeat with what she said.

M’Baku takes her arm to lead her out.  “Did you drive or ride with someone?”

Keni scoffs as she drags along, “Don’t worry bout that, long as I ride them thighs later, bruh!”  

M’Baku sighed as his buzz diminishes quickly with the night air.  “You got your keys?”

Keni opens her clutch to rifle through.  Pulling out a roll of condoms, she hands them to M’Baki, “Hold on to these, we need ‘em.”  M’Baku holds a corner of them disgusted, “I don’t need these; I have a woman, I say.”

Keni pulls out her keys, shaking her hands, “I KNOW!  The girl got a sixth sense for women being in your house, I swear.”

M’Baku pauses when he hears this.  “What do you mean by that, Keni?”

Keni hands the keys and starts walking off kilter.  “She called and I picked up and I was like OOPS, hung up.  Then ya mama came and called me a hoe; why you got such rude females around you?” 

“That was when you came to my house?  My phone rang and you picked up?” M’Baku asks piecing the sequence of events together. 

“Like I said, she sound rude as fuck.  You need someone to keep you til she get back, I’m it!”  She does a power stance to portray herself as a catch: makeup smeared, hair disheveled, feet dirty from the streets.

M’Baku looked at her like she was crazy, “Tempting as that may be, it’s not something I am into, at all.  Did you park in that lot?” 

Keni nods, leading him to the area. “Make it do the beep beep.”  she instructs him.

M’Baku punches the unlock button on the car remotes and sees it lighting up.  M’Baku trots over, getting in the driver’s side to start the engine up. 

Keni goes to open the passenger door.  “You sit in the back.” M’Baku instructs.

Keni looks through her window, looking completely appalled.  Opening the backdoor and getting in, she says, “Come on, I wasn’t going to try and give you road head or anything.”

M’Baku shakes his head pulling out of the lot sighing heavily, “I just don’t want you to puke on me, but sure, that too.  Tell me your address.”

Keni giggles relaying the info, “Oh shit.”  The contents of her stomach hurl on across the backseat and M’Baku lets down the windows to try to let the stench air out.  Any attraction this lady may have possessed earlier in the evening had completely dissipated from M’Baku’s mindset, officially with the vomit.  

Keni is crying now, “I didn’t want to do this.  I was supposed to be sexy!” M’Baku turns on the radio to be somewhat a distraction, occasionally asking her to calm down until he arrives at her place.  She lived on the third floor of an apartment building, so M’Baku had to work with her dead weight and his dehydration from all the liquor to get up the stairs.  

Opening her door, he lays her down on her couch.  Going to her kitchen he finds a bucket and lays it on the floor nearest to her head.  

As he goes to leave he hears her say, “M’Baku?”

He looks to God for strength as he goes over to her.  “You’re too good, you know? Like, amazing. Soooo, stay cute.”  She roughly pats the side of his face. “We will continue this another time!”

M’Baku puts her hand at her side and heads out the door.  “Not if I can help it.”

“See you at the gym!  I drank a lotta calories!”  she yells as you close the door.

M’Baku called an Uber out to pick him up.  Once he got home, the biggest wave of relief rushed over his body as he crashed on the couch.  Covering his face, he groans as the days events fill his thoughts, laughing to himself. M’Baku had never gotten that close to a client before, to see them at his home or after hours and he certainly understood why that could never happen again.  Keni put herself out there as a kind girl, and she was; helpful and sweet. But her true colors were let out tonight. He’d make sure she was off his roster of clients immediately. There was no way they could work together again after this.

M’Baku looks at his phone and pulls up your number.  He calls you, waiting for you to pick up with every ring but it goes to voicemail.  It was late, but he hoped you would wake up to talk. Unless you were still mad. He leaves a message for you.

“Hello, my love.  I just wanted to hear your voice, but I wanted to explain something so hopefully you will listen now.  The woman you heard, was not someone I am involved with; she is, or, was a client from my job. She helped me with a ride home after the car got booted, which is probably a better reason to be mad at me but it will be corrected by the time you return.”  M’Baku says in an apologetic rush. “She picked up my phone by accident, and I know this may sound strange, but my mom made a surprise visit during, and swiftly bashed her, and defended you, believe it or not.” He laughs tiredly. “Baby, I didn’t and will never seek attention from someone else as long as I can call you mine.”  He pauses a moment before his voice cracks. “I hope I can still call you mine. I miss you, I love you. Call me as soon as you get this. I can’t wait for you to come home.” The automatic message says M’Baku ran to long and gives him the option to save it or delete it. M’Baku saves it, hoping it was enough to get you all talking again.

Tired again, M’Baku heads to the bedroom to shower and rest.  His bare skin against the sheets of the bed were the only thing there to calm him.  All he wanted was to hold you, life wasn’t so hard when you were with him. You were on his mind until the world grew quiet.  

\---

You pop out of bed and run to the bathroom.  You run to the shower and wash yourself frantically; scrubbing every inch of you skin until you thought you needed a skin graft.  Out of the shower you get your toothbrush to scrub your teeth.

_ I remember going to the bar, or the club?  Maybe both. I danced, I drank. I met that guy…. _

You piece together last night’s events as best you can before catching a glimpse of yourself in the mirror.  You recall drinking with him on the bench, he rubbed your feet. You feel like throwing up at your behavior. Spitting and rinsing your mouth out, you go back to your bed to read the note, thanking you for a good night.  You truly could not recall your behavior after the bench. But it didn’t take much to figure it out since you woke up sore, in a funky room, and naked.

Plopping onto the mattress, you hold your face in your hands; your eyes start to burn as tears try to form behind your eyelids.  You look out the window biting your lip to keep it from quivering. You wanted to reverse time, make it all not happen. This isn’t how you should be behaving during your spat with M’Baku.  You haven’t even heard his side of things but you were so ready to throw skin to the wind for the first nigga that smiles at you?

You take a deep breath to collect your racing thoughts as a headache begins to build.  You reach for your purse to get your painkillers out and your phone. It vibrates in your hand to signal a message waiting for you.  Before checking you pop your pill and get some water to down it. You needed to call Niecy; hopefully she could help you figure out last night a little clearer.  But she wasn’t in bed with you so how much more could she know….or was she? 

Shaking that image quickly from her head you open your phone to see a couple missed calls and texts.  There were some from Niecy around the time of last night and then 30 minutes ago today, along with a text.

_ Get your ass to my hotel room soon as you see this. _ ”  Well, shit.  What did you do to piss her off?

Then you notice a missed call from M’Baku.  Your heart swells at just seeing your boo’s name.  But then your stomach drops at the thought of speaking to him now.  First you were holding all the cards in your little guilt parade. And as much as you wanted to listen to him finally, now an even bigger element is threatening to keep you away.  

A voicemail is waiting for you to listen to and your palms break out sweating in anticipation.  Was he confessing? Was he breaking up with you? A sickening thought crossed your mind that you would be relieved if he just came out and decided to leave you for her.  No need to talk about your thing and you would still come out looking like the better person. You tell yourself to shut the fuck up as you get up and pace to work off some anxious energy.  Taking a deep breath, you select to play the message. Hearing his voice for the first time in what feels like forever, your body turns into a puddle hearing him speak calmly and you listen with no barriers, and a completely open mind.  He goes into what had happened between him and the woman you heard on his phone, and as out of the way it sounds, he does say his mother witnessed it so you know lying is not in her DNA; 100% blunt truth 24/7. 

As he tells you how much he loves you, you are overcome with gulping sobs.  You cover your mouth like he is actually on the phone and might hear you but you can’t stop them from coming.  Your chest heaves as you hyperventilate when the message ends, dropping on all fours on the floor. M’Baku did nothing to hurt you, he never cheated.  You grip your hair follicles, threatening their livelihood as your heart breaks over what you’ve done. You didn’t even give M’Baku the benefit of the doubt; he has been your man for 3 years!  Why did you have such low self-esteem with him when he never gives you any inclination of being unfaithful. 

You get your phone to look up douching supplies when your phone rings, making you jump.  

Your heart rate subsides as you see it is Niecy.

Picking up, you say, “Hey girl, sorry I hadn’t-”

“Come to my room now please.”  Niecy hangs up.

You look at your phone to make sure you were actually hung up on.  Niecy hadn’t been like this with you before, so you put on some clothes and head down to see what’s up.

Knocking on her door, Niecy opens it swiftly, holding a coffee cup. 

“Come on then.”  she walks away sitting at her kitchenette table.  You close the door behind you following suit. “Niecy, what’s up with you? Did I do-”

“What’s up with me?  Bitch, what the fuck was up with YOU last night??”  Niecy practically hops in her seat from the force of her voice.

You pick you words slowly and carefully, “Honestly, I am not sure, but I think-”

“Why did you even leave with that guy last night, (Y/N)?  You know how bad I would feel knowing I was the last to see you alive before going missing??”  Niecy gasps at the thought before taking a sip from her cup.

You look down at your hands ashamed, “I know, I know.  But-”

“And you have a boyfriend, (Y/N).  No matter how much fun you are having you can’t just go off with a guy, whatever the case of the situation may be because it looks really, really bad!”

Tears start to well up at this part of the scolding, “Then why did you even call him over to me?!”

Niecy pushes her braids back, “I wanted you to have fun with a guy.  The type of fun that you could have in a PUBLIC setting. But not even that stops you.”

Your mouth slacks open at Niecy’s read.  “You didn’t have to go there….”

Niecy nods, “I know, you’re right.  I’m sorry. He really took things too far with you anyway.  It’s not all your fault.”

“You know M’Baku didn’t cheat on me after all.”  you confess.

Now Niecy’s jaw drops open.  “What? What did he say happened then?”

Tears roll down your face as you relive the voicemail, “A client of his gave him a ride home after the car got booted, which is a whole other story he will need to tell.  But she just picked up his phone by accident and his mom was there, so she saw them and can attest to it, but in the end as convoluted as it seems….nothing happened between them.”  

You sniff and wipe your nose as Niecy gets you a tissue and a sympathetic look.  “I’m so glad you finally heard him out, (Y/N).”

“Well, I heard him out on voicemail.  He called around the time that I probably was….”  Your lip quivers as you pull apart the tissue in your hands.

“Babe, it’s gonna be ok!  You all can finally patch things up, start fresh!”  Niecy says.

You blow your nose, which proved pointless as your sobs and tears built up again.  “There’s no way he would want to see me now!”

“Don’t be silly, so you had a little fun with a guy, it wasn’t serious, he’ll forgive it!”

“Oh come on, Niecy!  I would think you would be continuing to nail me to the cross like you were earlier!  I’m not good enough for him, I went too far for nothing!”

Niecy pulls her chair around to rub your back, “Now we all make mistakes when we are emotional.  You’ve been stressed out, homesick, and I would be going through withdrawals too if I had a slice like that waiting for me when I got home!”  Niecy sees you not laughing and continues. “Emotional cheating is a bit tricky, but maybe wait to tell him when things blow over. Love on him a little, rebuild that trust and companionship then pull apart the ugly to get to the good stuff.”

You look at Niecy like she has gone mad, “This was more than emotional, and I can’t NOT tell him about it!  If I were a guy, I’d be a dog for sleeping around.”

Niecy leans back squinting at you, “Sleeping around?”

You nod wiping your nose, “Yeah, that guy left a note.  I got really drunk, I woke up naked!”

Niecy hides her face, “Oh God, you don't remember, do you?”

You shake your head, “Which makes it even worse, if you ask me.  If the guy hadn’t left a note, I may have lived in ignorant bliss but-”

“Girl, you didn’t sleep with that guy!”  Niecy exclaims.

You look at her confused, “What do you mean?? I was drinking with him and then I wake up-”

“Naked with a thank you note, I heard you, I know.  But that’s not what  _ happened  _ though.”

_ The guy passes you the bottle so you can get right.  TIpping it back you gulp it down a little too fast you hiccup handing it back to him.  _

_ “You handle it like that, huh?”  he asks, golds glistening as he smiles at you incredulously. _

_ You wipe your mouth sloppily, hiccuping again, “I hold my own when I need.  Now, you want my place or yours?” _

_ He gets up holding out a hand to take yours, “Whichever works for you, Princess.” _

_ “Chiiiiill with the ‘princess’ bull, dawg.  HaHA! Bulldog! I did that, I did!” You walk around pointing at yourself with pride at your horrendous joke skills.  You teeter against a wall as the alcohol catches up to you. _

_ “Well shit.  You look down for the night, baby girl.”  He says. _

_ You wave him off, “Uh-uh!  We gonna go back to mine, play some Uno or somethin, and get turnt the FUCK up!  Don’t eeen worry bout dat!” you slur.  _

_ “Ayye, your phone is going off, you need to get that?”  The guy brings it over to you with your purse. _

_ Leaning against the cool brick wall, you try to steady your vision.  “Fuck that. It’s probably that nicca.” _

_ “(Y/N!)  The fuck you been!”   _

_ You turn your head a little too quick and start to tip over.  The guy catches your arm, holding you up. _

_ “Niecy!!!  Look, this guy likes me, we gonna go have some fun.  You wanna join us, babe?” You ask drunkenly. _

_ “I actually just want her to go home so I can dip.  This ain’t my style, for real.” The guy says to Niecy. _

_ “I was your style in the bar!  Maaann niggas ain’t SHIT these days!  Come on girl, let’s go find some fresher meat.”  Weak from the alcohol, you try in vain to pull your arm from the guy’s grasp. _

_ “Look at her!  I wanted you to take her mind off her spat with her man but here you go liquoring her up, planning God knows what!” _

_ He holds his hands up, “Aye!  This was all consenting. She asked for the bottle, she said she could hold it down, but I ain’t fucking with nothing that ain’t standing straight.” _

_ You drop to the ground with a thud. _

_ “Shit, just pick her up and come on back to the hotel so I can get her to sleep, please.”  Niecy asks through gritted teeth, looking around her suspiciously. _

_ “Bet.  S’all I’m tryna do”  He picks you up, damsel in distress style all the way down the street.  You take a quick snore on his shoulder. _

_ Once you all get to your room, Niecy opens your door and the guy set you down. _

_ Suddenly you are reinvigorated.  “AIGHT! Lemme get m cards and turn on my songs so we can fuck it up!”  You stumble to your travel bag digging through its contents. _

_ “Aye, can I say goodbye real quick before I got?” _

_ Niecy puts a hand on her hip exasperated, “Yeah, yeah. Hurry it up though.” _

_ The guy writes a note on the notepad on your nightstand.  “I hope you work things out with your boy. But if not, once you feel better, hit me up.”  He holds up the paper laying it on your bed. _

_ “Awww, come on!  The night ain’t over yet.  You got shit to do??” _

_ He laughs, “Yeah, I got shit to do, Princess.  You were the best date I been on in a minute to be honest.  Stay cool, girl.” He saunters out. _

_ You sit on the side of your bed, pouting, “I wanted some DICK!” _

_ Niecy sighs, taking your shoes off to the side, “You got dick.  “It’s waiting for you on one more day.” _

_ You focus on the dresser in front of you, but it keeps spinning, no matter how still you sat. _

_ “Oh shit.”  Your night came up all over your dress.  Just then you phone rings. _

_ “FUCK (Y/N)!  You really making me your mama now, huh? Gatdammit.”  Niecy holds her nose and gets some towels and a hamper.  Putting those down she looks at your phone. “That’s M’Baku but he’ll just have to catch you in the morning.  Stand ya ass up, come on.” Niecy uses the towel as a barrier to help get you up. _

_ “I love M’Baku.  He’s got real good dick.  Niecy, I threw up.” _

_ “I know, sweetie, alladat and then some.  We gotta get that dress offa you.” She rolls your hem up in hopes to keep the puke locked in.  You raise your arms as it slips off. _

_ “Come on, now.  You wore NO draws??”  Niecy exclaims quickly tossing the dress to the hamper. _

_ “I told you I wanted dick!  But no pantylines biiiiitch.”  You say crawling across the bed, plopping on it belly first. _

_ Niecy wipes her brow.  “Ok, imma call you when it’s the morning but you call me when you get up, you hear me!?” _

_ You begin to snore.  She covers you with a sheet, You gonna hear me tomorrow.”  Niecy says to herself before leaving. _

Dumbfounded, you say, “Niecy…”

Niecy nods.

Your eyes well up again as you laugh, “I didn’t cheat!”

Niecy shrugs, “Not penetratively.  Just good ol’ fashioned foolishness.”

You are filled with regret and shame, but relief and the urge to talk to your man.  “Niecy, I’m not gonna take up anymore of your time. I’ll call you later, I owe you a meal, a drink-”

“PLEASE!  After yesterday, the scent of alcohol puts me off quite a bit.”  Niecy screws her face up in disgust.

You give her a big hug, “You been so good to me.  It’s like I’ve known you forever.”

She rubs your back, “We family, baby.  Don’t worry bout it. Call your guy.”

You leave her room and call M’Baku as you walk back to your room.  He picks up on the second ring.

“(Y/N)?”  He says sounding a bit nervous.

“Hey, M’Bop.”  Your voice quivers involuntarily.

M’Baku sounding worried, “My love, please tell me you got my message.  There was no-”

“Cheating, I know.  I know you, I know you didn’t, I love you, M’Bop.”  you say, sobbing for the 30th time today.

M’Baku breathes a sigh of relief into the phone, “I love you with every fiber of my being, (Y/N).  You don’t have to worry about anyone else getting in the way of that.”

“I’m so sorry, Baku.  You have been so good to me, I jumped to conclusions.”  You say through gasps.

“Don’t worry about it.  You had every right to question.  But I promise not to set doubt in you again.”  M’Baku says with weighty emphasis.

“And I promise not to shut you out like that.”  You wipe your face as you call the elevator. “Things really went to shit when I did that, but we will talk about that later.  I can’t wait to come home to you, baby.” you whisper.

“And I will embrace you fully.  I can’t rest the same without you next to me, you’ve kept me up at night, girl.”  M’Baku jokes.

Laughing you say, “I will talk to you later, ok?  I love you!” You blow kisses through the phone.

M’Baku reciprocates, “I will savor these until they are real again, my love.”  

Getting on the elevator, you feel extremely more at ease.  Your man loves you, and you love him. You can work through what happened, no problem; long as everyone is open and honest.


	8. “I just, we can’t...I can’t do this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The next chapter is most likely going to be the last one, you guys! I started this story back in April, and It’s crazy to me to think I have been doing a story that long. I started it with one intention, it evolved, I got jaded, came back into it again but it’s almost done! Enjoy this and be back for the finale later y’all!

The last day of your trip is finally here.  This day could not have come sooner, you don’t feel any closer to being better at your job than when you came into it and it almost cost you your relationship but hey, lessons learned.

You and Niecy have one last dinner together.  You eat your chicken alfredo and fancy bread but cannot completely enjoy it.

“So, you and M’Baku finally got past the Cold War, huh?”  Niecy asks as she smacks on her chicken parm.

“Yeah, we are talking again finally.  I guess I just realized how much of a shit I was and put aside my pride for a second.”  You say while sipping your wine.

Niecy points at you with her fork, “Now I won’t take any slander from you about your own damn self.  Listen, you had a reason to be questioning of his actions.  You didn’t know the girl and why she was up in your house.  Should you have listened to him before going for payback, hell yes!  But luckily the Lord Himself was looking out for you to not make a real dumb mistake.”

As you hear Niecy’s everlasting wisdom you feel a lump start to grow in your throat.  You take a sip of your wine to keep your emotions down but you still couldn’t keep a tear from falling.  

Niecy notices right off, “Uh-uh, what’s that about?  Did something else happen?”

You wipe your eyes, sniffing, “No, it’s just- girl, what the hell am I supposed to do without you?  You on a whole other side of the country from me and I wouldn’t have even made it through this week without you.  What will I do-”

Niecy gets up, bringing her chair around your side of the table to hug you.  “Aight, come on.  Calm down a second.”

Her hugs just make you even more emotional as she comforts you.  Niecy has been your saving grace ever since you got there.  Mean ass Shay stalking you around, showing her around town, your mistaken infidelity of M’Baku and then your biggest mistake you almost made.  Niecy just didn’t know what she had done for you.

“Now (Y/N), all I did was be a good friend.  You are a smart, brilliant, hard working, beautiful woman.  I noticed that when I first saw you.  You have so much going for you, AND a man that loves you.  We can still talk!  I have your number, we can plan some meet-ups; this ain’t the end baby!  I need a drinking partner and you proved to fit my criteria for an interesting one.”

You both laugh thinking about how much alcohol influenced their activities this week.  

“I just can’t thank you enough, Niecy.  I got so much from you, it ain’t even funny.  Like, I don’t know what the hell I learned from the conference speakers, but my time with you, priceless.”  You say sincerely.

Niecy smiles big, her own eyes starting to glisten, “Tell my boss that, shiiiit.  Mama needs a raise!  But listen, let me know if you ever want to move around.  I got you for a recommendation.  It may not guarantee the position, but it’s a good look for you.  I’d put in a great word.”

“Of course!  Black girl magic at work!”

You and Niecy spend the rest of the time talking over the week; laughing and discussing your lives and what’s next.  When you got to your room, you worked on packing your things together for your early flight out tomorrow.  You were more than ready to get home to your own bed.  As for M’Baku, you knew he would be ready for you with open arms but it still didn’t sit well with you about what almost happened a couple days ago.  Should you even tell him about something that didn’t really happen?

\--

M’Baku walks out of the office downtown to settle the boot on the car that left him having to take a cab there.  He paid out his fine and the surly, wide mechanic worked the boot off the driver’s side wheel to get you on your way.  He was there all morning waiting and getting things straightened out, but Keni’s connect did help speed things along and make the charge a little less.  Even kept the point against his license at bay.

M’Baku still made it to work today to get a couple appointments in.  

“Hey Cheryl!  How was the graduation party?”  M’Baku asks of the receptionist.

Cheryl beams, “Oh it was a blowout!  It is amazing what I can do in a couple days.  I will never let him and his mom live it down.  Their aunt really got the place jiggy with it!”

M’Baku scoffs at her attempt at hip vernacular.  “Well I’m glad to hear it.  I am sorry again, that I couldn’t be of assistance.”

“Oh no!  No problem at all.  I reported that cop that booted your car, by the way.  No reason he should’ve been sniffing around the parking lot to line his pockets and fill his ego.  But when I report a car having been in the same spot, untouched for days on end, I get nothing?!  No!  Forget that!”

M’Baku gives his thanks to his proud ‘ally’ before heading upstairs.  Making his way to the door to his studio, he opens it to find Keni sitting on a stack of mats.

M’Baku stops dead in his tracks, standing a little taller, “You were supposed to be seen by someone else today.”

Keni walks over to M’Baku timidly, “Yeah…”

M’Baku holds a hand up to Keni to stop her from coming any closer than 10 feet.  “Then what are you doing here?  Our business is done.”

Keni wrings her hands, “I wanted to thank you for the other night?  Taking me home…”

“Well it was the absolute most I could do for you in that situation, that I did not ask to be a part of.  Do you do that a lot?  Drink heavily, going up to men?”

Keni shakes her head, “Nah man, don’t be rude-”

“RUDE??  I am the rude one right now?” M’Baku barks as he huffs.  Keni stands silent looking at the floor.  “Do you know the extent of your actions in my life up until now?”

“I didn’t even know you had a girl!”  Keni yells back.

M’Baku paces a moment shaking his head, “You knew when you were pushing up on me at the club.  CHEAT DAY! Eh?”  Keni looks about ready to cry.  “We have one relationship; that was trainer and trainee.  You took it too far with your games.  I welcomed you into my home as a quick favor and you mess with my things, my life.  I can’t trust you as far as I can throw you!”

M’Baku opens the door to his studio.  “You need to leave.  I’ll reassign you or you can discontinue your time here, whichever is easiest.”

Keni walks slowly to the door, stopping short.  “I know you are a good man.  Those aren’t easy to find.  I just hope your girl knows it and respects you for it.”

M’Baku closes the door after her, breathing a sigh of relief.  He knew you, and you were no Keni.  You had your wits about you, smartest woman he had ever met.  And he knew for a fact you were committed to him one hundred percent through it all and he was ready to make sure you knew he was in it with you for the long hall.

Once M’Baku finished his appointments, he ran to the store to pick up some food and house needs so that all that would be taken care of before you got home.  He was planning on a meal with you but was ready to ask you out as well if you wanted to go out instead.  The day was getting late, so he texts you to remind you to get your your procrastinating butt packed.  With the house clean, stocked, M’Baku went to bed happy knowing that in less than 24 hours, you would be in bed with him to share his time, love and attention.

\---

You leave your hotel room for the last time, lugging your bags behind you.  Niecy meets you in the lobby.

“Well, this is it!”  Niecy exclaims, arms wide open.  You exchange hugs before your car pulls up outside.

“Yup, this is it.  And I am high key glad it is.”  You say handing the bags off to be loaded.

“I know that’s right!”  Niecy smiles.  As you stand there semi frowning, Niecy rubs your arms, “Come on, we past that now, baby.  Go on home and talk things out, put it on him and go on with your life.  Call me whenever you need.”

You nod, giving her one last hug.  “And you stay as fabulous as you are.  God, I hope I can be like you when I’m your age.”

Niecy scrunches her face up at what she interpreted as shade.  “Ok little girl!  But you will be better, I know it.  Gimme some babies from that Jolly Brown Giant of yours.  I need some cute, chunky nieces and nephews.”

“We’ll see.”  You laugh as you get in the car, pulling off.

\---

M’Baku is sitting in the airport waiting on you.  The screen with flight times shows it could be any minute before you get in.  He kept checking the gate for you plane to roll in.  Finally an announcement comes on to say your plane has touched down and M’Baku picks up his bouquet he got you and waits by the gate to spot you.  Minutes roll on as he waits, wiping his wands of any sweat that may have accumulated.  

People start to trickle in, greetings exchanged, hurriedly headed to baggage claim.  M’Baku stands on his toes, as if he needs to, as he waits for you to walk through the door.  

\---

You are too ready to get out of the metal bird and into life as you once knew.  Taking your phone off of airplane mode, your phone vibrates several times with messages from M’Baku asking if you were almost there, if the plane was down, what gate were you, etc.  He knew you couldn’t reply, why did he do all of that?  You shook your head putting your phone away smiling.  You knew it was because he loves you, and you couldn’t wait to get yourself around him at last.  

As you walk down the hall, and make your way out, all you could see is teeth on a tall, melanated, sexier-by-the-pound slice of man, hell, the whole damn pie, waiting for you.  You cheese as you pick up your pace to make your way to him.   M’Baku had one hand behind his back, pulling out the long stem roses once you were near so he could scoop you up in an embrace.  

You adored how light he made you feel as you felt his face, scratching his beard, running your hands through his kinks.  You press your lips against his, not being shy at all as your tongues danced within one another.  You wrap your legs around him tighter, gripping the back of his head, not daring to let him go at all.  

“Wooo!!  Aight y’all!!”  a bystander yells.  This was the only thing snapping you free from your make out session.  M’Baku still kisses on your neck, smacking your ass.

“M’Bop, please!  Ok, we in public!”  you whine, although you really could care less about stopping.

“Mmmm, call me that again, love….”  He growls snuggling into your chest.

“Put me down!  I want to get home, now!”  You order him before he finally puts you down.

“My apologies, (Y/N).  I just missed you so much!  How was the flight?”  He asked as he got your bags for you.

“It was good, better than the one coming in by a mile.  But I would be more hesitant about taking a job related trip again for a looong time.”  You say with complete sincerity.

M’Baku loads the bags up in the car.  “Nothing wrong with that.  But was it worth it to you?  You have to tell me about what you learned and did.”

As you got into the passenger’s side, you thought about everything you had learned and dealt with while you were away.  The last thing you wanted to discuss right now was all you got into.  As M’Baku climbed into the driver’s side and started the engine you say, “Uh, yeah, I did a lot of things but my mind is still on overload so maybe we can talk about that later?”

M’Baku looks at you as if he is trying to read your face.  He probably still thinks you are a little upset still about the situation with his trainee.  

M’Baku nods as he turns out to head down the highway.  “That’s fine.  Whatever you want, it’s alright with me.”  

M’Baku grabs your hand as he drives, kissing each knuckle individually.  You look at him thoughtfully.  This gorgeous man is completely infatuated with you.  He could have anybody, but he is sticking by you, throughout it all.

M’Baku looks at you then back at the road.  “I know you want to relax for now while you are getting settled in but I wanted to apologize again to you for causing any doubt in your heart.”

You shake your head, holding onto his strapping arm, “No, M’Bop, you don’t-”

He looks at you again seriously, “No, please, let me do this.”  You rest your chin on his shoulder.  “I let someone get too close to me, in our dwelling, and that was not right.  I take for granted so often the good intentions of people without considering their ulterior motives, but I am wiser now.”  He kisses the top of your head.  “As much as your silence devastated me, left me cold, I needed it to really put things into perspective.  I always told you that you are my all, my heart, my queen.  But I disrespected that over and over again during this trip, even though I didn’t do the worst.  I never had stopped thinking about you any day this week.  Every room gave me memories that I wanted to recreate and make new with you.”

Your heart swelled and broke like a pressurized pipe.  You fought back your tears from falling as you caress his face, kissing his neck.  Your man was too good to you.

“M’Baku, I love you so much baby.  I should’ve listened to you.  My fault was not letting you speak your peace at all when I got upset.  I cut you off with the Jabari, with that girl, and….by the way, you still gotta explain what the hell happened about the boot being on my car.”

M’Baku clears his throat, waving his hand, “Ah, no worries.  Glory to Hanuman that it is over and you said you needed rest, eh?  Go ahead just lay on me a while, we are almost home.”

You sigh deeply, allowing the subject to drop as you rest along his strong body while he drove.  “I want to listen to you more, show my respect.  You are a damn good man, M’Baku, remember that.”   M’Baku smirks, gripping your thigh as you make your way to the house.  

\---

As you walk in the house, M’Baku follows suit.  “I went to the store already. Stocked all your favorite snacks, got some food so I can put something together for you.  Are you in the mood for anything?”  M’Baku asks, making his way to the fridge, leaning in to look.

You take a deep breath feeling all too familiar in our home once again.  Your energy tingled inside of you as you smelled the unique interior of your home; the peace and quiet.  You walk to the kitchen slowly, seeing M’Baku bent over, you run your hand across his back and down to smack his ass, causing him to pop up..

“I’m in a mood, alright.”  You say seductively.  

M’Baku narrows his eyes at you, closing the fridge.  He raises an eyebrow at you.

You pull him towards you by his waistband; though it really pulled you more towards him because no way you could actually move his boulder body anywhere.  You talk under his chin, “You asked me what I want from you, and this…”  your start to undo his pants, “...is it.”  

M’Baku emits a growl from his chest as he picks you up in one swift motion, you wrap your legs around him.  You all replay the scene in the airport as you tongue each other down, moaning into each other’s mouths hungrily as he sets you on the counter.

M’Baku trails his tongue down your neck, kneading your breasts as you claw at his back, biting your lip as you are overwhelmed with heat.

M’Baku takes your knees apart like a wishbone, causing you to gasp.  He kneels in front of you “I know…” he plants sloppy kisses on your inner thigh. “...exactly…” kisses the other thigh, “...what you need.”  He kisses your vulva over your shorts.

You breathe in sharply contracting your stomach as his kisses tickle your sensitive area.  His thumb teases your clit through your shorts like a flipbook, licking his lips as you writhe.  You grip his hair tightly, wanting so badly for him to get in there fully.  You think about how long it has been since you felt this much heat in your body since you last left M’Baku.  Unfortunately, a memory trickles into your mind as you realize it wasn’t too long ago.  Your pussy throbs as you feel him pulling your shorts and underwear to the side.  

You couldn’t let him put his mouth on you, otherwise you would lose all gumption to talk to him about anything.  You start to collect your bearings, trying to pull your thighs together.  “M’Baku, wait…”

He looks up at you smirking, “No need to feel shy, I remember how your pussy tastes.  Be as loud as you need.”  He to starts to let his tongue fall.

“Uh uh, I’m serious, wait a second!”  You slap the top of his head to get him back.  M’Baku looks at you confused.  “Whaa…”

“I know, I know.”  You breathe deeply trying to calm your hormones, hopping off the counter, hands on your knees meme-style.  “I just, we can’t...I can’t do this.”

M’Baku stands, buttoning up his pants, “I thought we were good, what do you mean?”

Your heart hadn’t calmed down from the romp earlier.  Now it was pounding from anxiety.  “I, uh, want to talk now.  It’s not necessarily about you though.”

M’Baku furrowed his brow, “Whatever it is, you need to say it now, know sugar coating.  I can take it.”

You lean your head back to keep your tears from falling.  M’ Baku reaches for you.  “No!  Stop!  I’m sorry but, I don’t want to be touched right now.”  You walk over to the living room, taking a seat on the couch.  Before M’Baku can join you, you are up again.  “No I can’t sit down for this.”

M’Baku grows impatient, “(Y/N), stop stewing.  Talk to me, let it out.”

You stop pacing a take a deep breath, cracking your knuckles nervously, “Ok.  So on my trip right?  You got me PISSED because of the instagirl being over here right?’

M’Baku nods, putting his hands on his hips.

“So I couldn’t stand you.  Every time my phone rang, my body lurched!  I was physically rejecting you from my life before I could think about what was really happening.  I was so angry, M’Baku, so mad…”  you feel tears flowing again.  

M’Baku tries to approach you again, “No!  Not right now, I don’t want affection with what I am trying to say!”

Silence envelopes you both, just the sharpness of your lungs being overworked.

“(Y/N), please, say it already.  You’re upsetting yourself.”

You swallow you spit continuing, “I went out with a friend, female, her name Niecy.  God, she was so cool, I gotta introduce y’all, she was great.  But um, we went to the club that night just to let off some steam and I ran into someone I had met earlier that week from another outing.  He was…”

M’Baku’s nostrils flared, “Go on, then.”

You took a step toward M’Baku now, “Nothing happened.  I didn’t even kiss him.  We just had some drinks, danced a little, but I had...thoughts.”

M’Baku scoffed, “Thoughts?  Hanuman’s sake, thoughts!”

You took another step, “Please, like I said, nothing happened!  But you had me so frustrated and I think I just wanted to get you back.”

“So if nothing happened, what stopped you?  Eh?  Why didn’t you go through with it?”

“My friend Niecy was there so-”

“So someone HAD to STOP you from making an ignorant mistake?”  M’Baku yells at you.

You shake your head, “No!  I wouldn’t have anyway cuz I was so drunk-”

“AND you got wasted beyond consent??”

The tears began to fall without restraint, “I was just wanting to feel good after all was said and done!”

“You didn’t LET anything be said, (Y/N)!  How can you make such a bold decision without hearing me at all!  Believing me!  But you were going to let a man --” he sighs closing his eyes and unclenching his fists.  “Why should I believe you, (Y/N)?”

You wipe some stray tears away, “What?”

“WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE YOU?!  You did not take my word at all with Keni and what happened between us, but here you are with motive, opportunity, so what?  Why should I?”  

Your lips quiver, “I-I love you, and only you.  You are so good to me-”

M’Baku looks at your defiant.  “You know, I went out that night too and was propositioned.”

M’Baku pauses for effect as you wait, mouth agape in horror.

“But I said no, unequivocally.  I gave her no reason to mess with me and no room to seduce because the entire time my mind was on YOU, and how I made YOU feel and that I could not wait to see YOU.  The club was smelly and hot and all I wanted to do was be home, which was not the same without you there.  I-I sent you that voicemail, were you with him when I called?”

You were holding your sobs in the back of your hand, “Nothing happened, I swear!”

M’Baku laughed maniacally as he walked past you and up to the bedroom.  You followed close behind.

“M’Baku!  What are you doing?!”  you plead.

M’Baku takes a bag filling it with clothes.

You stand in front of him.  “Where are you going?  What’s this?”

He stalks away to the dresser getting socks, underwear, tshirts.

“M’BAKU!  What are you doing!  Answer me!”  you shriek at him.

He zips up the bag, slinging it over his shoulder, “I’m going to my parents for the night.”

He turns to go down the stairs.  You keep little distance between you all.  “No, no, we have to talk remember?  We don’t shut each other out!”

“I know I don’t.  But we did a lot of talking just now.  So now I need some air.”  He reaches for the doorknob, you cover his hand.

“Please, you said you could take it!  No sugar coating, I told you the truth.”

M’Baku sighs, taking his hand off the knob.  He stands in front of the door, eyes closed, collecting his thoughts.  “I do believe you, (Y/N), but I cannot….canNOT stay in this house at this moment with you having told me that.”  You start to speak but M’Baku holds up a hand, “You had 100s of miles away from me to settle your emotions.  Let me leave for a few 100 feet, eh?”

You have the hiccups from the excitement but step back to let him leave.  As he closes the door your mind becomes hazy.  You walk over to the couch and sit like a robot.  This was the absolute worst scenario for our confession.  You pull out your phone to hover over Niecy’s name but decide against calling her.  You hadn’t been home five minutes before thinking of calling her with your problems.  You lay down on the couch as tears slice through your cheek.  You didn’t feel you deserve any sympathy as you wiped them away.  You were hungry, but didn’t dare eat.  That was M’Baku’s food as far as you were concerned.  Getting up you walk towards the stairs, and his flowers catch your peripherals.  You pick them up, rubbing the petals that felt like glass, its sweet smells now soured.  Putting them down, you trudged upstairs slowly to take a shower, but couldn’t feel clean enough.  Getting out and looking at the assembled bed you all shared made your heart skip a beat.  You can’t fill emptiness with an emptiness, you told yourself as you avoided laying in comfort, opting for the couch downstairs.  

You clutch your phone, texting M’Baku your love and hope that he is safe.  You didn’t feel deserving of rest either but your exhaustion overcame you.

\---

M’Baku pulls up to his parents place.  Parking the car, he takes a moment, choking the steering wheel.  He had all kinds of feelings building up in him but they all culminated to you making him look like a fool.  M’Baku saw your actions as a slap in his face.  He was trying to work for you, do right by you.  He hated when you got mad because you shut down and let your anger drive you, every attempt to reconcile is a landmine until you calm yourself down, or M’Baku begs just the right way.

It was tiresome, so for the first time as far as he knew, he was going to take a page from your book.  He loved you with all his heart.  He had plans for the both of you but if you could so easily refuse his word after being together this long and so easily find solace in another man...he would not have it.

He walks up to the door, knocking.  His dad opens the door.  He was just a couple inches shorter than M’Baku, overweight but carries it well for his height.

“Pẹlẹ o, M’Baku.  What brings you by this evening?”

M’Baku gives a tight smile.  “Ah, I called Mama while I was on the way.  She did not tell you?”

He waves M’Baku off, walking away, “Ahh, she is in her own world most of the time.”

As M’Baku closes the door behind him, his mother calls out.  “Hey, is that my Kuku??”  

“Bẹẹni, Mama.  I’m here.”  M’Baku sets down his bag as his mother comes in dressed in her brightly patterned house dress.

She takes M’Baku firmly by the arms, kissing his cheeks.  “So” kiss “good” kiss “to see you come by, my son.  How are things?”

M’Baku shrugs, “I figured I might come here to roost a while.  You wanted to spend some time, maybe I could help you with a few things, take you on some errands?”

His mother eyes him suspiciously, “Your friend, she is in town isn’t she?”

M’Baku puts his hands in his pockets, tucking his lips nervously, “Uhhh, yes, she came back today.”

“Is she alive?”  

“Mama!  Of course, what do you mean, saying that?”  M’Baku loos away disgusted.

She raises her palms out, “It is odd for a young man to leave his lady friend at home alone after just getting back together.  I thought you both wouldn’t be leaving bed-”

“Uh uh, come on, Mama.  Please!”  M’Baku takes a seat in the living room.

Sitting across from him his mother gives him an all knowing look.  “Is she mad about the woman?”

M’Baku massages his temples.  “We are past that, mama.  She forgave me and apologized.”

“Hmm.  I wouldn’t have apologized but fine.  It’s you generation.  So what is it, Kuku?”

M’Baku sighs, “I don’t want to discuss it at the moment.  I am so very tired from today, I just need to rest.”

M’Baku’s mother nods.  “Fine, we will continue later.  You can take the couch.”

M’Baku looks at her confused, “What about the guest room?”

“Your father is converting it into a workout space.  Sounds like a WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY, but it’s his hobby at the moment.”  She yells across the room for his father to hear.  

M’Baku could barely fit on the couch, so his sleep already was not guaranteed.  But at least he could be at peace for now.

“In the morning, we can look into my backyard.  I have a lot of pulling and pruning that can be done.  Trim the edges of the lawn.  Then I need to go to the store.  Your father needs some paint for the shed, so we may get lunch.  Then you can paint-”

He lays on the sofa drowning out his mother’s list of tasks.  All he thought about was you.  He still so disappointed in how you thought you would handle your spat.  

One thing similar with you and Keni, is your ability to hold your alcohol.  M’Baku couldn’t stand to think if the man was not appropriate, what could have happened.  He turns over cursing himself.  It never took long for his heart to change from anger to concern for you.  M’Baku drifts off considering what is next for you all, if anything at all.


	9. "Are you ok?  Now that we know?"

“Kuku!!  Get up! I don’t know why you sleep so late!”  M’Baku’s mother calls out to him.

M’Baku stirs on the couch, lifting his head a little too quick, he feels a sharp pain in his neck from sleeping wrong.

M’Baku’s mother starts up a vacuum in the living room as she shouts over the motor, “I made some breakfast for you.  You need to eat so we can start doing some errands.”

M’Baku’s head pounds as the motor whines in his ears.  Sitting up he rubs his temples. “Mama, what time is it?”

“It is 7am.  I felt like sleeping in a little myself this morning, but there is still plenty of time in the day to do some things.”  She motions for him to move his feet to continue her cleaning. M’Baku groans, getting up to grab his toothbrush from his bag and make his way to the bathroom.  

Opening the door he runs into his father shaving in a towel.  “Oh! Apologies, Baba. I should’ve knocked.”

“It’s alright, ọmọ.  I wore a towel because of your company, so we are all good.”

M’Baku shakes his head, trying not to think of his father in the nude.  “Why aren’t you using the master bath?”

His father wipes off the razor.  “The lighting in this bathroom is better.  I would fix ours, but since this one isn’t in constant use, I just made it my own.  You can use the master, Bak.”

M’Baku goes up the stairs to the bathroom across from his parents bedroom to freshen himself up.  Looking at himself in the mirror, he tries not to think about yesterday’s quarrel with his love. He already hated this “new normal” he so dramatically established for himself in the heat of distress.  But at least he gets some bonding time with his parents.

“KUKU!! Hurry up! I want you to get to this lawn before the heat of the day!”  his mother bellows from downstairs.

M’Baku sighs deeply, repeating the mantra of his unconditional love for his family to keep himself peaceful.

After breakfast, M’Baku gets out to the backyard to see his mother sitting on a stool next to her garden.  The colors in her house dress contrasted well against the greenery surrounding her to look like a Kehinde Wiley painting.  

“Ah, finally!  Now, go ahead, get down here and pull at these weeds here.  They are trying to devour my roses, so be careful of thorns.”  She commands, fanning herself.

M’Baku gets on his hands and knees and begins tearing at the offending plant life.  He used to do this all the time when he was a child with his mother. He dreaded getting out in the Wakandan heat to work around the yard, but doing it now kind of creates a happy sense of nostalgia within M’Baku.  The soft, coolness of the soil that surrounds his fingertips as he uproots the weeds make him feel good if only for a moment. Gripping one weed too hard, his arm grazes an array of thorns on the bush next to him.

‘Ikaka!”  M’Baku curses.

His mother thwacks the fan against her lap.  “Aye! You watch your tongue around me, understand?  I don’t want to hear that language. I said be careful!  Do you need to put on a long sleeve shirt? Your father has some.”

M’Baku inspects is arms to see some skin disturbed, a couple of red dots appear from the skin being broken.  “It is alright. I won’t make the same mistake twice.”

His mother sucks her teeth as he gets back at it again.  “I remember you being a little boy doing this all the time for me.  You were so round and cute.”

“I was actually thinking of the same thing before tearing up my arm just now.  I couldn’t stand it.”

His mother clicks her teeth.  “Ohh, you loved it! You got to hang out with some friends from the other tribes at the same time, remember?  I think you had a girlfriend in each one.”

M’Baku whined.  “Ayyye, I did not!  They may have enjoyed my company but I still preferred the snowy mountains than the dry heat of the plains.”

“Yes, of course, like a true Jabari:  never wanting people to see you sweat.”  His mother says, on cue with M’Baku wiping his brow.

“Nothing is too hard, too tough for a Jabari.  It is only natural to work in an environment that keeps up with appearances.”

As M’Baku finishes up with pulling the weeds, his mother moves him on to the next task.  “Ok, now these hedges are quite overgrown, you see? Go get the scissors from the garage and start on them for me.”

M’Baku follows instruction, checking the immaculately organized tool bar in the garage made from Jabari wood to pluck the hedge clippers from their hook.

Walking back out to the yard, he begins at the end of the hedge line, cutting down outgrown branches.  

For a while, only the sounds of the scissors fill the lull in conversation between him and his mother until she decides to break the ice.  “So what is going on between you and your friend?”

M’Baku steps back to look over his work before continuing.  “Nothing, nothing at all.”

His mother clicks her tongue.  “Tsk, in doing nothing, you are doing something.  Last I saw you, you had another woman at the house.  Did it have to do with her?”

M’Baku sighs, “A little.”

“So she kicked you out?”

“No, I left.”

There is a pause in her questioning that causes M’Baku to look back at her to check if she was still even there.  Her expression was more than confused.

“What do you mean YOU left?  Are you pursuing that woman now?”

M’Baku rolls his head back in frustration.  “No! Mama, I am not affiliated with that woman in anyway.  We are not even friends.”

“Then what is it?  Why are you making me ask so many questions, talk!”  his mother bars at him.

M’Baku stops clipping to wipe his brow on his shirt.  “Well, it started with-”

“You can’t cut and talk at the same time?”  his mother asked in her signature way. She was concerned for her son, but business still needed to be done.

M’Baku hides his eye roll as he begins slipping again.  “So….it started with that situation you saw. She called during the whole thing and found out the girl was at the house.”

“How did she find out?”  

“Keni picked up my phone when it rang, by mistake.”

“Who is Keni??”  His mother quipped.

“The girl that was at my house!”  M’Baku exasperated.

“How did she do it by mistake, does she have her own phone?”  

“She does; ours are very similar, so she picked mine up by mistake.”

His mother cracks her hand fan open to begin fanning herself again.  “Mistake….and why was she there again?”

“She told me she needed to use the restroom.”

“So, she doesn’t know how to use her own phone, or her own restroom?”  his mother scoffed.

M’Baku chuckled, “Mama, please.  She had given me a ride home so I thought I was being nice to let her use ours.”

“Now why did she take you home?  Did your car break down?”

“No, it got booted.  A police officer had me on his mind and decided to cause trouble.”  M’Baku said quietly.

“Trouble?  What trouble?”  his mother said concerned.

M’Baku stopped clipping to look at her.  “It was nothing…”

“Why is everything nothing for me?  You have told me a LOT that has happened, but to me it is nothing?!  Can a mother be concerned for her son’s safety? I pray to Hanuman everyday that you are here in the States, that your life remains long and prosperous for however long we are here, and we have been blessed!  But do not forget your mother when strife comes along. In the end, all you have is your family and your God, do not neglect them.”

M’Baku thinks on this a moment.  It was easy for him to rely on himself to get through his situations, without letting those around him in on the struggles he faced.  The Jabari were his next line of advice but they weren’t consistent at all. He looked at his mother suddenly feeling overwhelmed with the week he had but turned back to finish up the bush.

“He threatened me, that was the most of it.  I was a little hot headed in questioning him, so the officer used his authority to warn me of my place and that was that.  It won’t happen again.”

His mother exhaled sharply.  “How you can say that so confidently….this country and its problems, I have been ready to go back to Wakanda on more than one occasion, your father and I.”

M’Baku looks over the line of hedges, now uniformly trimmed and makes his way over to his mother.  “Me too. But I haven’t found the right time yet, especially with (Y/N). She’s been here her whole life, I can’t expect her to move with me.”

“She shouldn’t, unless you were planning to marry her.”

M’Baku gets quiet, shuffling his feet; his mother catches on, covering her mouth in surprise.

“So you have thought about it??  Oh, glory to Hanuman!”

M’Baku did a half smile for his mother’s joy.  She always seemed a little against you, but for her to hear M’Baku thought about marrying you and the first reaction is happy excitement?  M’Baku couldn’t help but feel good.

“Yes, Mama.  I have a lot of love for her.  It’s been on my mind for a few months, I just want to make sure the timing is right.”

His mother fans herself again.  “Ohhh, a Jabari wedding will be an event!  We have to make arrangements well in advance-”

“Mama!  It is not happening right now.  Remember, I’m over here because we aren’t on the best of terms at the moment.”  M’Baku says.

“Yes, but that is your fault because of the oponu you had brought into your home.”  his mother said matter-of-factly.

M’Baku shakes his head, “Mama, I have not even told you the rest of it!  She was going to cheat with someone else.”

“Eh?”  his mother asked, screwing up her face.

“While she was away, after the argument with me over Keni, she felt compelled to even the score.”

His mother looked off for a moment.  “And you said it was after the charlatan in your house spoke to her?”  

M’Baku nods.

“Then she had reason to doubt.  You don’t know what the girl told her.  But if you didn’t explain it, I am not surprised she felt lied to and looked for solace elsewhere.”

M’Baku looked at his mother incredulously, “Mama?!  You are taking her side? You think it is ok?”

She swats his attitude away.  “Ayye, I did not say it was a good thing, just believable given the progress.  You both are still young, it is easy to get so mad and worked up without knowing anything at all.  You have to talk.”

“I tried, but she wouldn’t listen.”

His mother shrugs.  “She was upset, she wasn’t ready.  But did she actually…”

M’Baku shakes his head.  “No, at least, that’s what she told me.”

“You believe her?”

M’Baku inhales deeply before nodding.  “I do. The story she told me was so ridiculous that it had to be the truth.”

His mother fans herself again, “Then it is settled.  Why are you even here then?”

M’Baku scoffs. “Mama?”

“Yes, why are you tearing away from here when she told you nothing even happened?”

“Because she thought about it seriously, instead of letting me explain.”

“Ohh, everyone thinks about revenge against their partner for this or that; no crime is committed for thought alone.”  His mother hissed.

M’Baku kneeled at his mother’s feet, trying his best to get her to see his side.  “But she got drunk, was propositioned, and a friend she made there had to take her away to avoid the guy.  I don’t get why this is a forgivable situation.”

His mother looked him in his eyes tenderly.  Seeing her son going through adult struggles boggled her mind to this day.  The very child she carried and reared has became a man with a love life and he is still kneeling to his mother for help.  It warmed her spirit,

“Kuku, you have to pick and choose your battles wisely.  Now I know this is not your way of solving things, so I know you are hurt.  And if you are this hurt, you must love her quite a bit, right?”

M’Baku looks at the ground nodding.

“And since you love her, I know that you are already wanting to be back with her but you aren’t allowing yourself to do that.  You are, instead, drowning yourself in manual labor to keep your mind busy. But you have to talk with her. She should not have settled her anger with you along that path, but thank Hanuman, it did not come to pass, and I believe that was a saving grace.  I imagine she apologized for hurting you?”

M’Baku stared off into space as he imaginer your face, streaked with tears and begging him to stay.  “She looked and sounded sorry, but she didn’t say the words. I didn’t hear the words, she just kept getting defensive.”

His mother lays a hand on his shoulder.  “You all have been together for too long to let a little indiscretion that amounted to nothing keep you all from moving forward.  I doubt you had completely blank thoughts when you were around that girl, eh?”

M’Baku remains quiet as he looks back on his trainings with Keni, and being with her at the club.  The temptation was no doubt there at times, and M’Baku cursed himself for his hypocrisy. “I don’t like it when you are right all the time, Mama.”

She beams, “I don’t try to make it a habit, it just comes to me naturally.  But you get what I am saying; you are punishing her when you should be comforting each other.  Give her a chance, speak your peace. Nothing is too hard for a Jabari, right?”

M’Baku nods hesitantly.  “Thank you, Mama. You have given me a lot to consider.”

She pats his shoulder before standing, “Anytime, ọmọ.  Now, let’s just get to this lawn while I get myself ready for you to take me to the store.  After that, maybe we can make it to lunch.”

M’Baku watched his mother walk away and considered their talk.  Perhaps he had overreacted to the situation, but he didn’t blame himself for it.  Rarely did he ever shock you like he did, it was a power move. But why did he not feel good about it, still?

As he drags the lawn mower out of the shed, M’Baku’s father comes out to greet his son.

“Ọmọ!  What are you doing?”  He calls out as he makes his way to him.

“I am getting ready to cut the lawn, Baba.  Mama’s orders.” M’Baku replies, checking the gas.

“Hm, do you know how to?”  he asks, watching M’Baku inspect.

M’Baku grabs the gas tank to fill the mower some.  “Baba, I have mowed plenty of lawns under your guidance.  This is no problem.”

His father nods.  “Just try to make orderly lines in the grass; don’t cut every which way, eh?”

“Yes, Baba.”  M’Baku caps the mower’s tank before going to revv up the engine, but his father stops before doing so.

“Baku, your mother told me to give you a talk about your friend.”

M’Baku purses his lips.  “Ok.”

His father hesitates, as if to find the right words.  “I don’t want to get in your business, and I don’t want the story.  But so you know in general, when you are with someone you care, not love but care about, there are going to be a many, many times when you must forgive them.”

M’Baku shifts his weight, listening intently to his grey haired elder.

“It may seem unfair, one-sided at times, but there is no score keeping in a relationship, it is not a competition.  If you care about them enough, it is no problem to decide what is best for your relationship to grow. Reacting out of anger, is not healthy and just creates more issues.  So, when you cool off, check on her if you care. Forgive, move on and grow together eh?”

“Ok, yes.  Thank you Baba.”

His father goes to leave, but M’Baku stops him.  “Baba, why do you say, care instead of love? Is love not the ultimate feeling to reach towards someone?”

His father looks to the sky, squinting which deepens the crows feet around his eyes.  “People use the word love too loosely. They love a TV show, love their car, love a meal, ‘it’s a lovely day’.  But to care for someone? To say you care about a person, means their wellbeing is important to you. What they are feeling, and what they need is important to you.  I care for your mother, I care for you, and I hope you care for the person you consider loving.”

\---

The day with his parents left M’Baku pretty spent.  He finished the lawn, helped his father with a leaning gutter, took his mother to get groceries and a new pair of shoes she had been eyeing (which was probably a trap because M’Baku does not let her pay for them ).  After grabbing a bite to eat, evening falls as M’Baku starts to collect his belongings in his bag. 

“Mama!  Baba! I am leaving now!”  M’Baku announces

His mother comes out of the kitchen, wiping her hands off.  “So soon? I thought we would have you for the weekend.”

“I wasn’t sure either but I think I should head back to my place, now.”  M’Baku plants a kiss on his mother before going. 

His father comes up opening his arms to his son.  “Drive safely, ọmọ. Be well.”

Patting each other in the back, M’Baku feels a sense of emotion as he goes to leave his parents.  Heading out the door, he father has his arm wrapped around his mother as they wave him off. His parents had been together for a very long time, and M’Baku aspires to be in their situation one day.  He thought about what his mother said and his father, and a sense of curiosity hit M’Baku as to whether they had issues between each other to overcome. Most likely so, that’s where wisdom grows from: experience.  As he pulls away he continued to think over what his decision with his relationship with you would be.

\---

Pulling up to you all’s place, he opens the door expecting to see you, but the house is quiet.  He closes the door and sets his bag down, calling out your name once. No answer, so you may be asleep.  

M’Baku makes his way upstairs but the bed is empty.  The sound of music faintly spills out from the slightly ajar bathroom door that emits a soft glow of light.  M’Baku pushes the door open slowly to peek around and sees you.

You have your head leaned against the tile of the bathroom, eyes closed as your body is surrounded by suds and a couple of lit candles.   M’Baku takes this time to admire your peace. You looked so beautiful when you were in a state of calm, and the atmosphere didn’t hurt either.  M’Baku didn’t want to delay what was on his heart so he rapped on the door to get your attention.

You jumped at the sudden noise but softened once you saw M’Baku.  “Hi.” You say meekly.

M’Baku holds on to the knob, standing awkwardly and avoiding your gaze.  “Hi.”

You sit up a little further.  “Do you need to use it? I can get out if you hand me the towel.”

M’Baku shakes his head.  “No, I am fine.”

“I made some food for you if you’re hungry; just gotta heat it up…”

M’Baku shifts his weight.  “I just ate with Mama, so I’m good.”

You nod.  “How are your folks?”

M’Baku walks over to sit on the lid of the toilet.  “They are good. My mother had a whole list of activities prepared for me.”

You smile slightly, “I know she enjoyed your company.”

“Yeah, and I enjoyed theirs.  It was nice to be around them, take my mind off of things.”

A pause settled between you both as yesterday’s events caught up to them again.  “M’Baku, I don’t know what else-”

“(Y/N), I do have some things I wanted to say since getting back, so hear me out a moment.”

You nod, pausing your music as you settle in for the talk.

“I reacted to your thoughts with a level of anger that I don’t usually entertain.  You know I like to keep cool, things roll off of me like water, I don’t sit in confusion.  But your confession brought something out of me that I don’t usually let out.”

“And I am so-”

“Hang on, love.”  He sighs. “I let that come out because of what I put you through and what that did to me.  For some reason, this trip brought out a lot of trust issues between us that completely beat us down.  I don’t want that for us.”

You lean on the edge of the tub.  “Me neither, baby.”

“So, when I talked to my parents about it they made a lot of good points about what I should do.  But what I realized is that I was so hurt by you considering another man is because of how much I love you, and I care about you.  That is something I said that was not a lie, when you were upset with me, I only thought about you, I couldn’t be mad. And I still cannot get mad at you.  I just want to be with you.”

You wipe a tear that snuck out of your eye as you listened to him.  “I don’t want us keeping a tally, trying to get back at each other, we just need to be truthful with one another.  And I have no animosity towards you; I am actually sorry for holding your feelings hostage because I couldn’t accept that you aren’t perfect and neither am I.  But in the end, nothing has broken my love for you.”

You add softly.  “Yes, despite it all, nothing got between us but each other so…”

M’Baku looks at you, tiredly.  “So…. I’m heading to bed to get some rest, because Mama wore me out, so please enjoy your bath.  I need to stop my brain and body for the night ok?”

You nod, grabbing your wash cloth.  “Ok, M’Baku. No problem.”

M’Baku gets up and makes his way to the bed, stripping his clothes to his boxers before laying on the cool sheets to nod off.

You hurry up and finish washing up, blowing out your candles and toweling off to make your way to the bed with him.  Seeing him lying there, snoring, made you feel better already. His large body taking up space that required the California King you all shared compelled the snuggle spirit inside of you.  

Curling up behind him, you were anxious about connecting your body to his, for fear he wasn’t ready.  As you covered up, you turn your back to him, respecting the distance but your mind went a mile a minute thinking about his words and what your relationship meant from here on out.  

Between thoughts, you feel his weight shift behind you and his grand hand reached around your waist to pull you in.  You cover your mouth in surprise as he keeps you close to him, he commences snoring as his arm stays wrapped around you.  He always enjoyed spooning you to sleep and luckily tonight was no different, whether it was just out of habit or a sign of peace, you didn’t care.  You thanked God anyway for the sudden affection as his body kept you warm and protected, calming your thoughts as you finally drifted to sleep.

\----

Morning struck and you begin to stir, the glow of the sun illuminates your eyelids, indicating that the morning has come.  Slowly you open them, beginning to stretch carefully as to not disturb M’Baku who is still knocked out next to you. You stealthily get out of bed, looking back at your man outstretched and resting, and you smile with love seeing him back with you finally.  It wasn’t a smooth transition to get here, but it was for the best. M’Baku’s arm stretches out looking for your warmth, but you scurry to the restroom and brush your teeth to get ready for the morning. 

Making your way down to the kitchen, you had a plan to treat him.  He didn’t get any of your dinner but breakfast was all you this morning.  You start laying out a couple of kitchenware items to prep some food and start a playlist going to bring in the good vibes.  

Bumping to the mid-tempo tunes, you bop around as you collect fruit to wash off and assemble in a bowl.   Putting them in the fridge to stay chill, you get the waffle mix and begin to stir the mixture and add it to the griddle.  As that cooks, you set out eggs and vegetables and salsa to make his favorite omelette.

Once you got everything just about done, you hear his footsteps coming down the stairs as he rounds the corner to you.

“Wow, you have some energy this morning?  What is all of this?” M’Baku asks, adoring the spread in front of him.

You plop his omelette on a plate, setting it down at the table with a flourish.  “Oh this? Well, I know I was hungry, so I just made a little continental breakfast for us to enjoy!  Orange juice is in the fridge, fresh.”

M’Baku opens the fridge to set out the pitcher.  He leans on the back of his chair, staring at the table a moment, speechless.  You weren’t sure if he was happy or still considering some things. “Please! Sit down, M’Baku.  I’ll get your plate together, just for you.”

M’Baku sits down tentatively as you make yourself over to him, napkin falling into his lap.  You get a small plate to put some cut up pineapple, strawberries, and blueberries together and set it in front of him.  You set some syrup for his waffles and pour his OJ, smiling and bopping to the music happily like you didn’t have a care.  You pull your chair up to M’Baku’s side of the table, who still looked blank faced as you cut up his omelette. Stabbing a piece, you bring the fork to his mouth.

“Say ahhh…”  You hold your mouth ajar as a demonstration.

M’Baku’s eyes softened as he look at you, opening his mouth as you guided the fork into his mouth.  His plump lips slowly wrapped around the prongs.

You tried to pull the fork back, but his lips held a grip on the utensil.

“M’Baku, what are you-”  you start before he releases it, chewing his bite.  His jaw work was a big turn on for you, you loved watching him eat but his odd behavior made you nervous.

“M’Baku, I-”

“Why do you keep calling me by name?  You usually say my nickname, but you haven’t yet.”

You scoff, “Well, I am still trying to get back to normal right now since...everything.  And speaking of, I wanted to tell you something since you spoke your peace last night, and then I want to bed this, ok?”

M’Baku nods, putting his napkin on the table, focusing his gaze on you.  

“So, uh, I just wanted to tell you again, that I am so sorry for not hearing you out.  It wasn’t right for me to jump to conclusions. We have known each other for a few years now, and that was first year type of bullshit.  We’re grown you know? So, also, I wanted you to know why I reacted the way I did. You have been a wonderful partner to me. You love me, care for me, handle business, we connect on so many levels.  And I just hope to keep up.”

M’Baku’s brow furrows at this point of your speech.

“I have felt on a couple occasions that you could easily pull another woman if you wanted to.  You are gorgeous, and a great man, and just open your mouth and people are hypnotized. It’s not lost on me how desirable you are, and to hear another woman in the house once I was gone just brought all of those feelings to the forefront.  So, when a man gave me attention, if only in a short, cordial way, I was put in another headspace. A toxic confidence that had me gassed up in all the wrong ways. So when you left me that voicemail that explained everything, I was full.”

Your voice cracks at this moment.  You pause as M’Baku takes your hands, his eyes glint with wetness as he kisses your hands.

You take a breath and continue.  “I was so mad at myself for even considering you wanted to leave me because your words were so pure and vulnerable and I felt that truth.  You show your love for me everyday and it was so petty of me to think otherwise, so I am so, so sorry, M’Bop. Let me stop before I am a mess.”  You blot your eyes with the napkin trying to compose yourself.

“Ifemi, I too apologize for me actions.  I shouldn’t have blown up at you either. In fact, it was disgusting of me to not think of our safety in the situation but instead turn to jealousy.  I just thank God someone was watching over you.”

You nod vehemently.  “Yes, yes, my girl Niecy.  She is so good. I miss her already.”  You smile, a fresh tear rolling down your cheek.

M’Baku places his hand on the side your face, taking his thumb to wipe it away.  “I understand your frustrations, we are human. Emotions drive us to do so much. But right now, I am using mine to encourage you.  To be your man alone, and for you to be mine, from here going forward.”

In his shorts, he digs in his pocket, to pull out a ring box.  He pushes back his chair, getting down on one knee, causing you to yelp covering your mouth, sobbing exponentially.  M’Baku takes your hand away from your face to hold it as you ugly cry.

“(Y/N), I love you with my entire being, there is no way I could see myself going through life without you by my side.  But if I had to, I know I could only go through it because you made me a better man for it. But please do me the honor of completing my heart.  Aya mi, my one and only to cherish.”

You shake your head in disbelief, gulping for air.  “Oh God, M’Bop!”

M’Baku looks at you a little worrisome.  “Is that a no?”

You shake your head vigorously, “No, I mean, no it’s not a no.  Yes! I will marry you, I love you so much!”

M’Baku embraces you immediately as your lips desperately take in his.  You wrap your arms around him ignoring a need to breathe as your mouths praise each other in a renewed union.  M’Baku gently breaks from you to take the ring out of the box, as you bring your hand down to have him slip it on your finger.  A gorgeous pear shaped diamond, set in a vibranium band. You clutch your neck as you admire the gorgeous rock.

“Oh, M’Bop, I can’t--fuck, I love you so much.”  You wrap your arms around him again peppering his mouth with yours.  “I. love. You. so. Much.” M’Baku chuckles into you mouth as you kiss him every other word.  His hands hold your back, pulling you closer to him, sparking a heat inside of you. You legs naturally part to bring him closer to you.

Your alarm on your phone goes off at that moment, breaking the heat.  You reach over to dismiss it, promising to get to the purpose of the reminder later as you turn back to your man.  It had been about a week since you all connected and the feeling was at its peak. 

M’Baku groans into your mouth as his hands found your thighs to pick you up, wrapping your legs around his torso.  He goes to set you down on the table, but your ass meets the pile of waffles you made instead.

“No no no!  M’Baku, wait, the food is here!”  you balk at him, trying to raise yourself off of it.

M’Baku laughs, “Ohh, if I wasn’t wanting some later, it’d be on the floor.  Come here.” He brings you back up a little too fast and staggers backwards, bumping the wall.    You all laugh with no cares, as you take his face in his, taking in his tongue hungrily. He slides down the wall to sit on the floor.  Getting up a moment, you pull down your shorts, and take off your shirt quickly, as he eases his shorts off. Straddling him again, you help him out of his shirt, rubbing your center along his ample thighs, creating a slick runway for you to warm up to.  

M’Baku smiles, gripping ass, spreading your cheeks to direct your hips along his thigh.  “You seem ready for some attention, are you?”

You nod biting your lip as you feel the cusp of an orgasm coming on as the muscle along his thigh stimulates your lips so easily, it is ridiculous.  

M’Baku is stroking himself as his dick shines with the early warnings of precum.  You guide yourself atop his tip as he gingerly caresses it along your inner labia and clit, slapping it against your vulva.

“Mmm, Baku, I’m ready baby, I need it.”  you moan.

“Oh yeah?  Is this for you?”   M’Baku teases, continuing to slap it against you.

You grip the back of his neck with force, looking him square in his lustful eyes.  “It is. It always is, hubby.” You say with an almost scary amount of bass in your voice.

That was all M’Baku needed to aim his tip to your center as gravity drug you down his shaft.  You nails dig into his shoulders as the familiarity of him took some getting used to as your walls expanded to accommodate his girth.  

“Ahh, that’s it (Y/N), make it yours, take it in.”  M’Baku growls as he enters you inch by inch.

You were determined to drain him, so you start to work a rhythm atop him, each stroke you take him in deeper.

“Oh, Baku, you got me creaming already, it’s so much.”  you moan as your legs burn, tightening yourself around him purposely.

M’Baku’s eyes start to roll back as he closes them, licking his lips.  “Damn, you’re so wet. Hanuman’s sake, I’ve missed you.” He grunts in pleasure.

You smack his face a little to bring his attention straight on to you.  “Uh uh, you watch this pussy work your dick, understand? Watch your dick taking down my walls, baby, yes.”  M’Baku’s mouth slacks open as he moans watch your lips swallow him up, milking him for all he is worth. Your encouragement backfires as you feel the wave of orgasm rushing over you.  You sloppily bounce on him as your head rolls back before he takes control, gripping your hips to let your natural wetness slide you on him as you ride.

Your walls choke his dick out, making his orgasm come right after yours as he growls out his cum inside of you.  You grind on him, kissing him passionately as he fills you, before slipping out. You lay on him catching your breath a little before you notice him still stroking himself beneath you.

You look at him confused that he is still fully erect after coming.  “M’Bop, are you still-”

M’Baku’s eyes are dark as he breathes heavily, running your cream along his shaft.  “It’s just been too long. Turn around for me.”

Your legs still jelly like from straddling him you slowly abide his request.  “M’Baku, I never seen you like this before.” You say hesitantly as you turn to poke your ass out for him.  You thought he would cum quick and be done, little did you know.

M’Baku spreads your legs a little as his hands grip your hips.  He dives his face between you to lap up the remnants of the first round, sending jolts down your body from your still sensitive clit.  Your back involuntarily curls against him, as he holds your hips still, his tongue relentlessly flicks you into climax as you grip the carpet for dear life.  It’s usually more difficult for you to orgasm after each one, but M’Baku hit your spot apparently.

He hums into you as you provide him protein, before straightening you up again with a slap on your ass.  “Get into the position how I like, ifemi. You know what to do.” 

You arch yourself with your face in in the floor as he guides himself into you again, starting you off with a pounding.  He drills into you walls, keeping one leg bent beside you for leverage as he pummels your G-Spot. 

“Ahh, your pussy is in love, I can feel it.”  M’Baku moans.

You half laugh between moans.  “That’s what committed pussy does, baby.  It shows out.” You bounce against him to counter his stroke.  M’Baku’s thumb grazes your asshole, before finding its way into your depths.  You whine helplessly under the newfound pleasure, bucking against him.

“Ohh, that’s it, aya mi.  Polish me off for good, come on.”  M’Baku whines as he gets close. 

Your knees begin to ache, but you abide him, sending a round of applause against his hips to pull out his seed into you.  M’Baku slams himself into you, howling with pleasure as he comes again, dousing the fire within your walls. 

M’Baku’s hands slide down your sweat soaked back, pulling you up to him by the arms.  You are just about spent as you heave for breath. He holds your throat lightly as he kisses you in admiration. 

“My love, are you alright?”  M’Baku asks slowly letting you go.

You roll down to the floor on your back, laughing weakly.  “Oh, M’Bop. I’m barely here right now, I feel so high.” 

“Good, open up for me once more.”

You look up at him and blink twice as he is still stroking his hardened member.

“M’Bop!  This is ridiculous!  Did you take something?”  You say sitting up in awe, but parting your thighs nonetheless.

M’Baku licks his lips as he glides his shaft along your swollen vulva.  “Not at all. I just want all of you, so you don’t want from another. And you need all of me, so you won’t doubt my desire for only you.”

Your expression softens as he brings his weight over you.  You grip his hair as you kiss him, he rolls his tongue down your neck, dragging his tongue around your areola to tease your peaked nipples.  You buck against him as his cheeks hollow out to bring your nipple between his plush lips as he feeds on you. Your legs tighten around him as you involuntarily climax from the stimulation in a new area.  His worship of every inch of your body became too much as you shook underneath him.

“Baku, I don’t know how much more I can take before I lose my mind.”  you whine as he sits up.

M’Baku gives you that gap toothed smile as he holds your legs back.  “You already lost it thinking I’d want anyone but you. Now I’m bringing you to your senses.”  

You shook your head incredulously but brought your hand to stroke him with renewed confidence in taking more of him in.  You could kick his ass for what he is putting you through, but loved his efforts.

“Ahhh, your hand is so beautiful stroking me with a ring on it.”  M’Baku beamed with pride. As he entered you again, your confidence feigned as your overstimulation became too much for you to think clearly.  You lost almost all control of your body as your legs began to curl up in between you and him.

“Ah, ah.  Open your legs for me, aya mi.”  M’Baku commanded as he pounded his hips against you with his unabating strokes.  

Your hand meets his stomach as jolts of pleasure hammer your insides.  A climax was out of the question, as you couldn’t relax enough to get to it.  You could hear him but it was getting too difficult for your body to function for him.  “I’m trying….it’s too much…” you say breathlessly as you put a hand to his torso to ease the barrage of dick in you.

M’Baku takes your hand and puts it above your head with the other as his face hovers right above yours, forcing your legs around him.

“You are mine, and I am yours, understand?”  M’Baku growls.

You nod, catching your breath as he slows down, grinding inside of you to change pace.

“I want to hear you say it too.”  M’Baku commands.

Looking into his face with nowhere else to run or turn, made you a wreck.  You breathed hard as your body began to relax under him again. You needed no more convincing as he put in more than enough work to let you know whose pussy it was.

“You are mine….I am yours.”  You say slowly, sucking his lips playfully, giving up your devotion and sparking up his.

M’Baku winds his hips into you stroking your inner walls so sensually, you begin to feel a soft climax coming on.  

M’Baku feels you tightening once more and picks up the speed of his hips winding, sucking on your neck for good measure.

Somehow the climax that felt like a little one, began to grow in intensity.  By no means were you expecting it, and as he picked up his pace, you were screaming his name without regard for who heard.

“M’Bakuuu!! Fuck, it’s so good.  How are you doing this, ahhhh!” You yelp as he digs you like a ditch in the carpet, a burning sensation builds on your back but it oddly enough just adds to your pleasure.

“Ifemi, only you can keep me this hard, understand?  I only come for you, in you; you bring that out of me.”

Your legs tighten around him to bring him to dig deeper, “I know baby, listen to that pussy, it needs that cum.”

M’Baku groans kissing you passionately as he drains himself within you.  Letting your hands go, you massage his back as he breathes, still grunting from all of the work he exerted, as he finally softens.

You had no room to talk but you decided to tease.  “For someone whose job is to workout, you seem a bit exhausted, M’Bop.”  You laugh weakly as you melt under him, coming down from the passion.

M’Baku jiggles with laughter on top of you as he raises his head to look at you.  “I think I did pretty well, thank you very much.”

“Oh, that is an understatement.  Your refractory period just went out the damn window.”  

M’Baku rolls off of you as you all lay on the floor, in the buff, glistening and glowing.  He stares at you for a while, taking your newly ringed finger. “I was just so happy to start a new life with you.  You are the love of my life, and nothing will change that fact.”

You caress his face.  “Nothing will, at all.  Is that why you were looking so strange at breakfast?”

M’Baku smirked.  “Yeah, I told my mother I was considering marriage and after everything was said there, I knew I wanted you all to myself.”

You grinned.  “And your Mom was happy?”  

“Ecstatic.  I didn’t realize how big a fan of your she was until this week.  She is so possessive otherwise.”

You muster up enough energy to move over and kiss him, filled with all the happiness of engagement.  You all enjoy a naked breakfast on the floor, as you talk and laugh about your past, present and future.

\----

After going back to work, you report to your boss about your experience with the work trip.  Your boss went into how impressed Carmen aka Niecy was with your time there and put in a recommendation for new, better paying work to get you on a better level in your job.  You thanked them for the opportunity but ultimately, you felt ready to move on to a new company that could cultivate your passions. Your boss promised you a strong recommendation to where you chose to go when the time came.

The following week, you and M’Baku took his mother out to dinner to announce the engagement, which she became thrilled with automatically.

“I knew it, I knew it, praise Hanuman!  (Y/N), you will make a beautiful bride!”

You nod humbly, “Thank you so much!”

“Now, have you thought about a date, location, dress yet?  Because I was telling M’Baku, a Jabari wedding would be the best!”  His mother beams.

You look at M’Baku for help, a little overwhelmed.  M’Baku takes the cue. “Mama, we are still deciding that, but right now we are enjoying engagement.”

Her expression cracks a little.  “Well, don’t enjoy it too long. You already want to marry each other, why prolong the process.”

“It is ok, Mama.  We are making plans as we speak.  You will be the first to know.” M’Baku says, to move the conversation along.

His mother takes your hand, smiling again.  “I have been wanting to be a grandmother for a while now.  I am joyous that the time is coming soon!”

Your heart jumps in your chest at her blunt request.  “Well, I am sure they will come eventually, but of course the wedding must come first!” 

She winks at you.  “Of course, you are practically glowing already with love.  You have made an old woman so happy.”

After dinner, you guys get back home to wind down for the evening.  M’Baku watches a little TV as you get your makeup remover from the cabinet and the cotton rounds from the drawer.  As you get them out, you see a box that you haven’t looked at for a while. Your heartbeat makes a stampede in your chest as you count back over the days that were left in you birth control and when you should’ve picked up a new prescription.  You hadn’t taken it since that time you and M’Baku marathoned all over the living room floor. You check your phone to see the alarm you set to remind you to take it was accidentally turned off instead of snoozed, and that was the only way you could remember to take the little pills regularly.  

You grab your keys to head out the door.  “M’Bop! I’ll be back babe, just gotta make a quick run.”

M’Baku looks back at you confused.  “I can get it for you, whatever it is….what do you need?”

“Uhh, just a little girl stuff, you know?  Don’t worry, I’m already gone.” You say in a rush as you close the door.  

Making your way to the drugstore, you go down the aisle to get a test.  The varieties confused you, but you didn’t want to skimp on accuracy so you got two of the good kinds.  Checking out and driving back was a blur to you as you thought about what this might all mean. You could very well be pregnant right now.  And if you were: what would you do? You look at the ring on your finger glinting as the street lights pass over; you were already engaged, so he wanted commitment, but how would he react to a baby so soon?  M’Baku loved kids, and expressed a desire for some in the future, but they were planning a wedding. Would she really walk down the aisle pregnant? Would his mother disown them for it? You shake your head of the negativity, still anxious about if you were even pregnant or not, to think that far ahead.

Making your way back into the house, you jet upstairs to the master bathroom before M’Baku can riddle you with concern.  You sit on the toilet, desperately reading the instructions; you knew how to tell the results since you got the clear answer ones ‘pregnant or not pregnant’.

There was a knock at the door.  “(Y/N), is everything alright?” M’Baku asked.

You ran the bathroom sink to drown out the noise of opening the box.  “Yup, just fine! I’ll be out in a minute.” You guide the stick under you as you pee. 

Now it was time to wait.  You wipe yourself off and flush.  You felt like your world was beginning to spin rapidly, but you took a deep breath and said a little prayer for guidance and strength as you continued your process of taking your makeup off.  Still a minute left, you apply a cleanser to your face meticulously, keeping your eyes tightly shut to make sure you don’t accidentally peak at the results.

As you rinse off you face, the door burst open and M’Baku comes in wrapping his arms behind you.  “You are taking too long, my love...”

As he snuggles into your neck you try to fight his grip around you but before you can tell him to leave, he sees the test.

“.....you are taking a pregnancy test?”

You look at him in the mirror, frozen and speechless.

M’Baku turns you around, looking at you in your eyes earnestly.  “Why didn’t you say? I should be here for this. Were you going to say anything?”

You shrug looking away, “If there was something worth saying...”  You look at him getting teary eyed. 

M’Baku pulls you in for a hug.  “It’s ok, it’ll be fine. Whatever the results are, I am here for you, ok?”

You nod, wiping your tears away.  “I just don’t know if I am ready, but, I would love to have a baby with you.  I just didn’t expect it so soon.”

M’Baku smiles with his eyes.  “Well, we reconnected pretty viciously, so I’ll take the blame.  But I thought you were on the pill?”

You sigh heavily.  “I forgot to take it.  My alarm got turned off permanently and I forgot to turn it back on and you know I’m not the best with schedules.”

M’Baku nods knowingly.  “I do. But like I said, I am here for you.   No matter what, we will be in this together. Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks.”

You laugh to yourself.  “Yeah, because I don’t know if your mother would be happy or angry.  She said she wanted a grandchild, but she wants this wedding too.”

“Ehh, she will be elated.  The baby would take precedence, even if you’re giving birth during the vows.” 

You both smile peacefully in ignorant bliss as reality was ready to stare at them with a stick.

“Are you ready to look?”  you ask M’Baku.

He nods.  “Very much.” 

As you both look at the stick, you exhale sharply, now knowing the truth.  You felt oddly nothing about it, probably because you didn’t feel any different; nothing was suddenly taken or added spontaneously like a Sims game, you’re still you right now that you were before.  But the result put into perspective what you wanted. M’Baku holds you close, kissing the side of your face. “Are you ok? Now that we know?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys SO MUCH for sticking with this story. It is the first fic series I have done, and the first I am finishing. It has been a ride; your feedback and encouragement helped me to keep with it. I am pretty proud of the themes I touched on, and the development of the characters and I wanna thank Black Panther for even getting me to write publicly in the first place. Once again, thank you all for sharing your time with my work, it is an amazing world to be in, fanfic writing. It has been a joy and a pleasure.


End file.
